


Teamwork

by Kessie



Series: Teamwork [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Questionable Choices, Serial Killers, somebody´s got a secret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2017-12-26 03:18:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kessie/pseuds/Kessie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I told you one day we'll be standing around a body and Sherlock Holmes will be the one who put it there. So I did warn you, didn´t I?“ Donovan shrugged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So yep, I took a break from the "Changes series" ( more soon, I promise, its in works) and kinda got hung up on an old prompt of mine, which I prompted at Livejournal ages ago. 
> 
> http://sherlockbbc-fic.livejournal.com/21231.html?thread=123949807#t123949807
> 
> This was supposed to be a one- shot but of course developed into more, as I thought one needed to explore the "why" these two would work together in that way.

**Teamwork**

 

Authors: Kessie  
Characters/Pairings: Sherlock, Sally, Mycroft. John, Anthea, Lestrade, Moran, OCs somewhat established Sherlock/John, Sherlock/Sally, John /Sally, Sherlock/John/Sally  
Rating: NC17  
Status: still writing  
Warnings: violence, murder, questionable choices and mayhem etc.  
Disclaimer: Sherlock belongs to the BBC, Moffat and Gatiss. No copyright infringement intended.  
Summary: “I told you one day we'll be standing around a body and Sherlock Holmes will be the one who put it there. So I did warn you, didn´t I?“ Donovan shrugged.

 

**Chapter 1**

 

It had been a bad day for John Watson. Said day had started at the court, where he and Sherlock and the Yarders had to testify against a man. No wait, make that a monster, John Watson thought as he was on his way home.Because ‘man’ was definitely too nice for that prick. 

 

Shane Lundonderry had been the suspect in a case about 2 months ago. Not extraordinary probably if you didn´t know what the case was. There were thousands of criminal cases each year surely. 

 

But this, this had been a case which had made John doubt humanity in general. 

 

Now you see, Shane Lundonderry was rich. He had a reputation. Was well liked in the upper class of London. Nearly famous even. At least in some parts of the city. Towards the public he seemed to be the generous, a nice guy, who appeared at charity functions at the like. 

 

Someone who liked to give back.

 

But there was also his other side. The side which helped to smuggle in illegal aliens for tremendous sums of money, then using the illegal people as slaves when they couldn´t pay up. 

 

That alone should have been bad enough. But that wasn´t what had bothered John, no. Shane Lundonderry liked to take away the children of the people whom he had smuggled into the country. He told them they could act as payment. The families would never see their child again, as Shane sold them off to perverts to have fun with. Often he liked to participate in “sessions” as he called them, himself, joining his customers. He even had prided himself on his activities with others such as Sherlock who had been working undercover, trying to bring his perverse crimes to light. 

 

The children never got out of a session alive. Lestrade had found the body of a 5 year old African girl which had been brutally tortured to death, and John had already had enough of this case after seeing the pictures. 

 

And yet this man had gotten free in court today. Even though there had been evidence- enough to convict him three times. But said evidence had either vanished or had been tempered with practically overnight, and now it was useless. Add to that the reputation of a charity man and voilà: the poor, innocently accused man was born.

 

John had been close to barfing seeing this. Especially as the man immediately filed a restraining order against Sherlock after his non guilty verdict. 

 

Sherlock had been livid as well. As had Lestrade, Anderson and Donovan, who all had been involved into the undercover operation as well. Such a mood had intensified the adversity between Sherlock and Donovan and they had spat at each other in the court corridor, not caring about being out in public. It had led to Lestrade restraining Sally and John restraining Sherlock before the fight got physical. Later Lestrade returned alone, telling them Donovan had already gone ahead towards the Yard. Greg had wanted to talk about further steps against Lundonderry and get something to eat together, but before that Sherlock had run off again. 

 

And that was why John was pissed even more. The court case had been bad enough, but being left alone at the other end of London as well? Sherlock would get to hear something when he was home, that was for sure!

 

After catching a cab, John had opted to walk the last kilometre as they needed some groceries anyway. Even though he was pissed, John didn´t want to go without toast the following morning. And since hell would freeze over before Sherlock would go shopping, John decided he might as well give in.

 

So here he was, just about to enter Tesco´s not too far from Baker Street when he suddenly caught sight of some familiar brown locks walking down the street across the supermarket. He blinked. Yes there was the trade mark coat as well, still visible in the street lights of the November evening. Groceries forgotten, John ran after his friend intending to give him the talk of his lifetime. 

 

How dare he run off again. Especially since it’s only been three months that Sherlock had been back from being dead after his confrontation with Moriarty. John was pissed beyond belief. And this time he would make sure Sherlock actually felt it. 

 

As John was on the other side of the street he ran ahead and temporarily lost sight of his friend, only to notice the consulting detective had vanished into a narrow alleyway. Walking down said alley he found himself on a parking lot loaded with shipping containers. A bit strange in the middle of town, but in London you never knew. 

 

It turned out to be a place where one could rent storage space. John started to look around, trying not to seem too suspicious but he couldn´t seem to find his friend. Walking around he had searched for about ten minutes and was about to give up when he saw it. There, hidden in the back of the container lot, was a container with a door slightly open. Before Sherlock he might have ignored it, but nowadays he saw such things. Carefully looking around, he went on and ran towards the door as quickly as possible. 

 

And he was right, the closer he got the more light he could see through the gap of the door. 

 

Someone was in there!

 

Holding his breath, he readied himself for punching someone in case the person inside the container was not Sherlock and stepped inside. 

 

Inside he nearly ran out again. He had found Sherlock. But his friend wasn´t alone, no, Shane Lundonderry was with him. Well, with him probably sounded too nice. It wasn´t as if the men were having a nice chat or a tête. Shane Lundonderry was tied to table, and Sherlock stood over him, completely dressed in something which looked like butcher clothes, holding a knife. The whole room was encased in plastic and it was clear instantly that Sherlock had prepared this room to kill him here. 

 

Now with John entering, the Consulting Detective held up his hands, pressed the gag back in Shane´s protesting mouth and put the knife on the floor. 

  
„Um, hello John.“ he greeted, just as the door was opened again, admitting an out of breath Donovan.

 

„Sherlock, we need to be careful. I just saw John sniffing around close to....“ she stopped as she saw him. „Oh crap. He´s already here.“ 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to sevenpercent for beta reading again.
> 
> Enjoy the ride guys and tell me what you think!

**Chapter 2**

 

Sherlock´s „Obviously“ was drowned out by the sound of Shane Lundonderry suddenly jumping off the table, prepared to attack, while the restrains hung losely in the air. John supposed he must have slipped out of them. He didn´t get very far as suddenly there was Donovan, quicker than John ever would have thought she could be. She had gotten a knife from somewhere John didn´t know, and with one swift move she cut Lundonderry´s throat. Blood spattered to the floor as Shane was bleeding heavily and John stepped back as Shane made one last painful, gurgling sound and then sacked down onto the ground.

 

Dead.

 

For a few seconds all was silent. John was breathing heavily, contemplating how the hell Donovan knew how to cut a throat with such precision and about what the fuck he had just seen as Sherlock thundered at the woman. 

 

„You imbecile! You had not secured him properly.“

 

Donovan huffed, clearly not taking this. No surprise there. „Well you could have checked the bindings yourself.“ 

 

„Yeah and what would you have done when I didn’t ...“

 

„Shut up you two!“ John barked, incredibly loud even to himself. He was angry. Utterly confused. Hurt, pissed off and god knows what. 

 

He couldn´t believe he had just walked in on Sherlock trying to kill a man. A man which then had been killed off by Sally Donovan nonetheless, as they apparently were some kind of killer team. It was weird enough to see these two working together for once, but he just couldn´t wrap his brain around the other two parts he had just thought about. 

 

Sherlock, Sally. Together. Killer... his brain supplied again and he must have looked weird as Sally spoke to him now. “I told you one day we'll be standing around a body and Sherlock Holmes would be the one who put it there. So I did warn you, didn´t I?“ Donovan shrugged and John held up his hands helplessly not sure what to say about that. „Well technically you put him there.“ he brought out after a second of thinking? No, he couldn´t call it that. It seemed like every little thing was confusing wasn’t it? This couldn´t actually be happening. 

 

Sherlock, next to him, let out a small laugh. „Indeed you are right, John, but Sally normally doesn´t like ‘the act’, as she calls it. Blood makes her squeamish.“ 

 

Donovan sure as hell didn´t looked squeamish right now, John thought as she handed Sherlock the large bucket of chemical, which would soak up all the blood Shane had left on the floor without a problem. He still simply stood there as Sherlock picked the dead man up and put him onto a table,which, upon closer examination, actually had a drain system attached to it. Clever.

 

Than again, this was Sherlock, wasn´t it? Should he have expected anything less? 

 

“Uhm, okay I guess I leave now. See you around.” Sally said and turned to leave. She was clearly uncomfortable with him, John could tell. It wasn´t that big of a surprise. Hell, he still felt out of place here himself. The thoughts in his head were whirling, barely coherent, his heart racing, combined with feeling fuzzy in general it probably meant he was going into a shock of some kind. 

 

But before Sally could open the door to leave, Sherlock was already by her side holding her back. “Damn it Sally, what is up with you today. You are covered in blood, do you want to walk straight into a prison cell?” 

 

Sally sighed and turned around again, eyeing John suspiciously, which Sherlock didn´t fail to notice.

 

“He won’t tell anybody, will you John?” he sounded reassured, which surprised John himself. Hey, he didn´t even know what he was going to do. How was Sherlock so sure? 

 

“It´s not like he hasn´t killed himself.” Sherlock commented further, but Donovan shook her head. 

 

“Yeah, but proving he killed the cabbie after all this time would be much harder than this...” She pointed down herself and Sherlock shrugged. John had no idea how she knew about that, but maybe Sherlock told her? He would have to ask about that. 

 

“Then strip. I´ll be lending you my coat.” He went into the back of the container and started to wrestle with the layers of plastic, before producing his trademark coat. As he turned around Donovan hadn´t still moved a muscle, causing Sherlock to groan.

 

“Sally, John has seen naked women before. “

 

“But...”  


“No but.” he handed John the coat and started to open the buttons of her blouse. John expected her to protest but instead Donovan resigned. It was eerie to see these two working together. He knew he should have averted his eyes but found himself staring instead. Maybe that had also had something to do with the shock he probably was in. 

 

And yet his:“Oh and you have blood in your hair as well.” roused a “Ewwww” and a shudder from Donovan while Sherlock laughed. John just caught himself before smiling at this sort of gentle bickering. So different from the normal crime scenes these two met on.

 

Soon Sally Donovan was standing there in her underwear and socks, shivering at the cold winter air which came from outside. 

 

“You are definitely going to shower at 221b. I´m not letting you run around with evidence.” Sherlock stated and Sally didn´t even try to complain. She simply took the coat from John and wrapped herself in it.

 

Sherlock took her soiled clothes and began to wrap them in plastic while Sally looked a little sad.

 

“Damn, I loved the blouse. Such a shame.” she complained.

 

“Well you know better than to do this in new clothes.” Sherlock scolded and nearly sounded like a caring father which weirded John out even more. 

 

Sally and Sherlock didn´t seem to notice him at the moment anyway, as they were lost in their discussion. 

 

“And you know better than to run into this without planning. What were you thinking Donovan?” Sherlock hissed at her then, clearly not amused. This was turning into a verbal fight once again but John found himself strangely fascinated by the two and listened further. 

 

“I knew I had to make sure that this bastard wasn´t going to run away.” Donovan spat.

 

“Then why didn´t you wait.”

 

“It would have been too late. He would have been half way to Hawaii by the time you got your ass moving.”

 

“Wrong. You took an unnecessary risk.” Sherlock seemed to get louder. “What do you think would have happened if I didn´t come?”

 

“I can take care of my self. I don´t need you.” 

 

“Do you have a death wish Donovan?” They both were standing right in front of each other now, face to face. The only thing missing was them actually baring teeth. 

 

So much for the “actually working together without biting each other´s head off “ John thought then and waited for the fight to get even worse. 

 

But strangely it didn´t. Instead Sherlock turned to him. “John, take her to Baker Street and make sure she cleans up. I´ll be along once I have taken care of this guy.” With that he turned towards the body and began to work on it. 

 

At first he wanted to object, because who was Sherlock to tell him to do things like this? But as he saw Sherlock getting out a bone saw for the body, he decided against it. 

 

He didn´t need to see this.

 

So it went that he and Donovan were walking through the darkened streets of London a few moments later. Baker Street was only a few street turns away and they would need about ten minutes to get there. 

 

Since it was really cold Sally was still shivering and John nearly took pity on her for a second, but than thought better of it. This woman had just killed a man in front of his eyes! He shouldn´t be a gentleman and make sure she didn´t feel cold, damn it.

 

Not to say he wouldn´t have loved to kill Lundonderry himself this afternoon. After seeing the photos of what Shane Lundonderry had done to that 5 year old African girl he would have loved to shoot the bastard. The Guy deserved that. But still. You couldn´t simply go out there and kill people. 

 

And yet, he knew Sally and Sherlock were right. The bastard would have gotten away with it. He had enough wealth and connections to support him.

 

But did that make it right?

 

No, he decided, he wouldn´t feel sorry for Shane Lundonderry. He wouldn´t care about what had happened to him as well. He would simply forget this. 

 

Yet there was the nagging question, that this probably hadn´t been the first time. Sally and Sherlock had seemed too used to everything that for that. Which begged the thought who had been the others victims? 

 

And how many?

 

God, he simply couldn´t wrap his head around this.  
  
Sally had walked silently right next to him for a few minutes, but now she seemed to sense his thoughts. Probably picked up more from Sherlock´s way of deductions than she realized. 

 

“We have a code John. We only do it to people who deserve it.” She started, voice a little unstable. “The ones who get off through money or connections or corruption and which are truly guilty. Everything is double checked. You know how accurate Sherlock is.”

 

A compliment for Sherlock out of Donovan´s mouth, John nearly laughed but then chose to say nothing. If only that were true. And yet, did that make what they did all right? He needed time to process this. It wasn´t like he was a stranger to death and such. But that had been war. He hadn´t expected to have to deal with this in London. Well the crime scenes weren´t the problem, but now he had it at it literally in his house with his flatmate. It was probably simply a bit close to home, he thought.

 

That and he had always hoped to prove Donovan, Anderson and the other naysayers wrong. Sherlock wasn´t a psychopath.

 

But was he? Was Sally one as well?

 

Donovan had been eyeing him since she had last spoken. She still seemed to expect him to run to the police he supposed. 

 

“Don´t tell me you wouldn´t have loved to kill the bastard. I saw it in your eyes, right after he got off in court.” She tried again and John just led out a long sigh.

 

They walked further. “So you kill these people together?” he asked then, clearly curious how that worked out.

 

“Well, yeah. I mean, Sherlock does the killing most of the time and I´m his back up. Today was just- “ She shrugged and wrapped the coat tighter around herself, speeding up her steps a bit. “I don´t know. Normally I don´t go after people alone, but this guy needed it. Sherlock wanted to wait, you know. But Lundonderry would have been gone by then.”

 

She still looked like she wanted to flee instead of walking next to him and somehow John couldn´t blame her. She didn´t trust him one bit. 

 

“Back up?” He inquired and Sally nodded.

 

“Yeah, I make sure the area around the containers is clear, get him information he can´t get without a badge, drive the car towards the container so he can use it to dispose of the body. Such things.” She bit her lip and then seemed to remember something. “Sometimes I even make sure he doesn´t get himself killed. “

 

John was silent again. This was proof. It hadn´t been the first time. At least he knew now, didn’t he? 

 

All the while Sally still seemed to be nervous around him. As they entered Baker Street she finally spoke again. “John, don´t rat us out, please?” she begged. 

 

John sighed and stopped right in front of his home. “Donovan, I´m still here, aren’t I? I´m not going to the police. At least not yet. Go shower.” 

 

Sally seemed to physically grow at these words, like a big stone had been taken away from her shoulders. “Thank you.” she breathed and they both wandered into the flat. 

 

John´s idea of this not being the first time got validated once more as Sally walked straight into Sherlock´s room and started to search his cupboard. A few moments later she produced a box and told him. “I have some clothes and some necessities here for cases like this. Baker street is closer than my apartment.” With that she took out some women´s clothes, women’s shampoo and shower gel and headed for the bathroom. “Just give me 15 minutes and I´ll be right out of your hair, I promise.” 

 

And gone she was. Seconds later John heard the water running. Taking a deep breath he sat down onto the couch and tried to think what to make of all this. 

 

Sherlock and Sally were serial killers. They worked together as a team. 

 

Stranger things must have happened, right? 

 

Well somewhere supposedly. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 

After a few moments John had decided to make some tea. He sure as hell needed one and Sally probably did as well, cold as she had been when they arrived. Also it gave him something to do as the thoughts were still racing through his head. 

 

Steps on stairs announced Sherlock, and John was surprised he was already home nearly 15 minutes after them. His friend immediately came over to him. 

 

“You all right?” he inquired and John nodded. 

 

“Yeah I will be, I guess. How?” 

 

Sherlock of course understood instantly. “Everything was prepared beforehand so it doesn´t take long to dispose of it. That and I took Donovan´s car over here.” He looked around the kitchen. “I´m starving. Do we have some food or shall I order take away?” he asked, and John´s mouth fell open once more.

 

Sherlock was eating? Without being prompted? Surely this was the apocalypse! He chose to take it though.

 

“I´ll see if I can whip something up. Donovan eating as well?” 

 

He shook his head at himself. What was he doing being domestic all of the sudden after what had just happened? He was probably going insane John decided, but didn´t stop Sherlock who smiled and went over to the bathroom with an “I´ll ask”. 

 

It was only when John was already through the first cupboard and Sherlock had already told him, that no, Donovan didn´t want to eat anything, that he realised that Sherlock hadn´t called out the question. But that didn´t mean he went in and asked her in person, right? Donovan would have had his head. 

 

But there had been no screams. So no, he might have stopped in front of the door, he told himself and chose to forget everything else that could have been. 

 

Things were complicated enough already.

 

#

 

Half an hour later Donovan was on her way home while he and Sherlock ate some leftover rice with chicken. Sherlock was watching his every move and John knew he expected there to be questions.

 

And he was right. 

 

But first he wanted to eat in peace.

 

It didn´t take long and soon the plates were discarded onto the couch table in front of them. What followed was once again an awkward silence. 

 

While John was still pondering what to ask first and how to start, Sherlock came closer, and kissed him all of the sudden. That wasn´t that out of the ordinary. Sherlock quite liked to kiss, John had discovered and after a night undercover with too much alcohol on a dinner party a few weeks ago it even led to more. 

 

But Sherlock was still married to his work, as he liked to say. So friends with benefits it was then. John didn´t mind. The sex was great, their friendship was great. So why not combine the two? And to be honest he always had harboured a small crush on Sherlock anyway, yet even he couldn´t imagine the consulting detective in a relationship. So why the hell not? 

 

It had worked out great so far.

 

But using that now? That was downright wrong. 

 

And so he pushed Sherlock away instantly which seemed to surprise his friend. “John, I only wanted to show you that this doesn´t change anything between us.” he commented and John let out a small, unnatural laugh, while shaking his head. 

 

“Doesn´t change anything? Sherlock are you even listening...? You can´t simply kiss me like nothing just happened.”

 

“ Why not? I just tried to end this awkward situation. It doesn´t change anything for me and it shouldn´t for you either. We only make sure that justice is served.”

 

“Justice? Sherlock, without a court...” 

 

A huff. Then: “There has been a court today John. You saw how good it was with accepting the bribes of Lundonderry and letting him go free. Sally and me, we simply dispose of some filth that the society doesn´t need in their midst. Nothing more nothing less.” Gesturing with his hands Sherlock got up and started to pace. “Listen, I can show you proof that every one of them deserved what we did. Add the fact, that with my intellect I am the one who is perfect for making sure that they get justice and that the subsequent tracks are covered up. So I decided I´d make sure that justice would be served for once.” 

 

“Sally and me. Never thought I´d hear that one from you.” John countered and Sherlock sighed.

 

“Well yeah, she isn´t half as bad as the rest of the idiots of the yard, but don´t tell her I said that. Her, you and sometimes Lestrade are okay, but that’s where I draw the line.” 

 

John laughed at that. It was so typical Sherlock, thus it still surprised him that it was Donovan of all people. Yet, in hindsight it somehow started to make sense. With the way they behaved nobody would even entertain the idea they could do something like this. 

 

“She doesn´t solely see you as the freak as well, I´m surprised.” he added and Sherlock shrugged, looking like he didn´t care. “Hell after what happened with her ratting you out for Moriarty I´d never...” 

 

Sherlock sighed at that. “Do keep up, John. Of course she knew what she was doing. I knew what she was doing because I asked her to. Having an enemy, who actually wasn´t one, helped. She infiltrated Moriarty´s network and made sure I stayed ahead on the information. When it came to Moriarty making his move to bring on “my fall”, as he called it, she was the one initiated it, all the while being the one who would take my side in the instant that the threat was dealt with. Sadly we underestimated the network a bit, so eliminating took a bit longer than we´d hoped.” 

 

Okay now that was.. 

 

In hindsight that made even more sense, but John sat there for a few moments taking it in. He´d always wondered why Lestrade let them sqabble all the time. Maybe he was sensing something? Also Sherlock often entered the crime scenes without a permit so technically Sally could have had him removed. 

 

Yet she never had. 

 

Sherlock could have also made sure that she would have been laid off the force or at least had to change the team by bringing the affair with Anderson to her superiors. But that had never happened either. John had even wondered about that a few times in the past, but had never asked. Now he knew why. 

 

Maybe they even actually liked each other. “Okay, if you say it like that, I guess it makes sense. Still I´d never guess Sally could be your friend. “ A shrug from Sherlock told him that apparently he didn´t care if she was or whatever she was. Yep. So typical Sherlock. 

 

Labels- he hated them, John supposed and then remembered something which Sally said. “She told me that she makes sure that you don´t get yourself killed?” he tried because that sounded awfully like something had happened there. 

 

And he had been right. “Yes she saved my life once. Well, actually twice if you count Paris.” It had been mumbled but John had still understood him all right. Now he kept on looking at Sherlock, waiting for the explanation. Sherlock sighed, but then retaliated. “One of the first culprits we went after had gotten loose as I misjudged the sedation. He knocked me out and was about to kill me, when Sally walked in and killed him instead. She was awfully desperate after that one, as it was her first kill. She is taking it better now, I hope.” 

 

“And Paris?” he inquired not letting Sherlock off the hock so easily. Sherlock´s gaze turned dark for a second. 

 

“Sebastian Moran.” he answered then. “She originally was only to bring me some information Mycroft had uncovered, covered up as a holiday in France. But she stayed and followed me as I was pursuing Moran and later helped me to kill him. Without her I probably wouldn´t be sitting here.” 

 

John remembered that. Lestrade had told him, that Donovan had come back full of joy from Paris, nearly overly so, with lots of photos and souvenirs for everyone. Back then he and Greg had met up in a pub from time to time and on that day Greg had seemed worried. It had turned out that had been because of Donovan who was behaving strangely and came back from he holiday in France with a huge gash on her arm. 

 

“It sounds weird, and I know you don´t like her, but something happened to her there.” Greg had sighed. “Of course she says she stumbled on the way to the Louvre, but I don’t believe her one bit.” 

 

John had made Greg shrug it away, particularly because he didn´t like Donovan after she had ratted out Sherlock, but also because he couldn´t imagine Sally not being able to stand up for herself if anything bad had happened to her. 

 

One thing was weird though. “Why was she so happy when she came home then?” he asked Sherlock. 

 

“Oh because Moran was the last one before I could come back. She told me she hated how miserable everyone was and that she was tired of covering it all up.” 

 

John again tried to take everything in. His world surely had been turned around today, he thought and smiled slightly as Sherlock came and eagerly showed him the files with their victims. 

 

“You okay?” the consulting detective asked and John nodded. 

 

“Yeah. I will be. It´s just a lot to take in. But why the hell do you have the files here? If anyone saw them...” John asked but Sherlock was already talking again.

 

“Oh I took the liberty of calling Mycroft on the way home and had them delivered. Of course I don’t keep them here but I wanted you to see for yourself. I don´t want anything to change between us, John.” 

 

Letting out a long sigh John let Sherlock kiss him this time. Of course Mycroft would know, he should have known that. And apparently he seemed to approve albeit being the British Government and all that. 

 

Should have seen that one coming. 

 

Well, he´d see what he had gotten himself into, but for now he´d let himself enjoy Sherlock´s tongue playing with his, combined with those long hands slowly slipping under his clothes. 

 

Sometimes a man had to set priorities after all. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a busy weekend ahead so you got the update now. So what do you guys think so far?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I´m sleepless and my lovely beta Sevenpercent just sent me an update. That´s why you are getting the chapter now.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 4**

 

If John expected anything to change after all this he would have been sorely disappointed. Sherlock was still behaving like Sherlock. Insulting, unstable, sometimes downright rude but also brilliant and spectacular. 

 

Sally still greeted him with “Hello freak.” While Sherlock still insulted and pointed out her incompetence on anything she or the other Yarders had apparently missed. 

 

And yet there were subtle things. The way Sherlock seemed to lean over Donovan´s shoulder to see the criminal file of their latest victim for instance, as Lestrade and the others had left the room and they were alone with John. Sherlock´s chin nearly rested on Donovan´s shoulder and they seemed to be comfortable so close together, which changed the second they heard Lestrade coming back and Sherlock made a step backwards. 

 

Or the way that sometimes crime files would magically appear in 221b now, which according to Sherlock they always had done, because Donovan had a key to the flat. Now Sally would simply leave them on the kitchen table and not under Sherlock´s pillow like she had done before. Which was okay in a way, John guessed, though he wasn´t sure what to think that Donovan had actually had a key all along. 

 

Even the time when Sherlock had been dead. 

 

He felt a bit creeped out about that, although Sally reassured him she hadn´t been to 221b those years when Sherlock had been dead. Mycroft assured him she was telling the truth as well by a message to his phone seconds later and John choose to believe him.

 

Because after all, the more he got to know her, the less annoying he found Sally anyway. And so it happened that when they ran into each other while John was out getting groceries three weeks later, he decided to invite her for a cup of coffee. 

 

There were still many questions he had to ask her anyway. For once he had no idea how the two actually communicated to commit a murder together as they just seemed to shouting at each other all the time. He had suspected they´d use their mobiles but Sherlock had just huffed and told him “Too unsafe.” at this suggestion, before turning to his experiment again. 

 

So John had decided to ask Donovan. 

 

They sat down in a small café and ordered blueberry muffins and some coffee, all the while Donovan kept watching him. “So what do you wanna know, John?” She asked as soon as the waitress had left them and that made John laugh.

 

“Am I that obvious?” He asked.

 

“Yes. And no. It´s only natural you still have questions. I´m still surprised you haven’t come to me earlier to be honest. I can´t imagine Sherlock has been very helpful.” She smiled at him as she said that and John allowed himself to smile back before taking a bite of his muffin and continuing.

 

“Well he was, at least the day that I found out. But after that he closed off again.” He sighed. “He says the less I know, the better it is if you guys ever get caught but...I mean, I would at least like to know if you were doing something. And I found, that I have no idea if something is happening. I can’t even see a pattern or anything.”

 

“That´s because we haven´t done anything since Shane”. Sally answered. “You couldn´t have seen anything even if you tried. But I don’t know if you would notice if we did it again. We could try, but it might take a while since we only take people who fit the code. Might be months until we find someone again or hell I´d love for Lundonderry to be the last one, but that’s not likely to happen.” She took a big bite out of her muffin as well, just as her mobile announced a new message. Grabbing the phone she grimaced. 

 

“Your boyfriend. He says I´m not to tell you anything. How he knows we´ve met I have no idea but whatever.”

 

John rolled his eyes as that. “Mycroft probably. Or CCTV. Who knows. So you´ll obey him?”

 

Sally laughed and seemed to think for a second. “Well, I´ll tell you one thing. But for that you have to promise me something.” 

 

John nodded. “Okay.”

 

“You want to know how we communicate? Then look at the insults. I still can´t believe somebody hasn´t figured it out yet. But not all of them are meaningless and hurtful as they seem. That´s all I´m saying.” 

 

John grinned at that. Of course. What better way then to insult each other on a crime scene but actually setting up their next meeting. No wonder Sherlock had known that Sally had been about to go after Lundonderry alone. They had insulted each other like crazy on the court corridor and Sherlock had been pissed as hell at Sally then. 

 

Now he would definitely listen to their insults more, even if it would be months until they would team up for something again. 

 

“So now you know. And that should be enough, okay? Now you promise me something.” Donovan was all serious now and John could tell it was important to her. 

 

“Okay. I will. What do you want?”

 

“Its simple, if you catch on that Sherlock and me are doing something, you just go home and stay out of it. It’s risky enough with two people but we can´t cover three at once.” 

 

John swallowed at that. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to do that. Stay out of it? It wasn´t his nature. 

 

Donovan of course caught on immediately. “Yes, I know you don’t like that, but please listen to me. There will be a day when we get caught, cause even Sherlock makes mistakes sometimes, no matter what he says. And on that day, it’s already clear what will happen. Sherlock will be bailed out by that genius brother of his, but they´ll need a scapegoat. That is likely going to be me, I have no illusions about that. And if that happens, I want to be sure that no one goes down with me.”

 

“But.. I don’t think Sherlock would let you go down like that Sally.” John responded, but wasn´t sure himself. Would he? He hoped he´d never find out. 

 

“It’s all right, John. I´m already prepared for this and its okay. There have been so many people we have saved by ridding this world of these people so it’s a small price to pay.” She smiled at him and John didn´t know what to say. 

 

“But...” he tried but Sally shook her head.

 

“No that´s the end of that. If I catch you snooping behind us, I will kick your ass to Neverland, comprende?” 

 

John found he could only nod at that. 

 

 

 

#

 

So John kept watching the insults and nothing happened for weeks. Sherlock of course had deduced what Sally had told him and wasn´t amused John could tell. He probably had had a few words with Sally after it, but she never mentioned it. Instead he reinforced Sally´s promise, that if something was about to happen, John was to stay out of it. 

 

John wasn´t sure if he should feel insulted or thankful that these two wanted to protect him. In the end he chose not to think too much about it at all. It wasn´t as if discussing this would change anything, and in the end he would only do what he wanted anyway. 

 

It was the first week of December, a crime scene in Soho where a bar keeper had been stabbed by a long term costumer as Sherlock had deduced, when he noticed a change. 

 

Sally and Sherlock had been at it again like they normally did and John was sure Lestrade, who stood next to him, wasn´t even listening as he seemed to be staring off into space. Sherlock had just called Sally a useless idiot again.

 

“I don´t understand why the Yard only employs idiots. You couldn´t even solve the Bakenrigde case and that was just as easy as this one.” 

 

The what? John couldn´t ever remember Sherlock bringing old cases into the insults. That was something new. So he continued to listen more closely.

 

Sally groaned. “No of course you would be the one gloats on every old case, wouldn’t you? You only get to see a few of them anyway as you aren´t here for most of the stuff. But that´s not a surprise cause the Yard would never employ a freak like you.”

 

Sherlock huffed. “Well with me the Bakenrigde case would have been solved much faster that´s for sure.” 

 

Whatever that case was, Sally wasn´t taking it well. “God, no, I don´t have to listen to you blabber any further, go and gloat at Lestrade, I´m off helping constable Smith with the eye witness.” 

 

And with that she was out of the room, leaving Sherlock to stare after her. 

 

That was when John knew something was up. There was something in the way Sherlock looked as he came over to him and Lestrade. Something was off. 

 

“It was a long term customer, look for someone who has been coming here for years already. Probably had time to build a big grudge as well, as he stabbed him multiple times in quick succession. The wounds suggest he is left handed. Also check the wife, she knows more than she is letting on. Probably the man of her obvious affair or at least someone close to her she is protecting. John you coming?” Lestrade had nodded and simply written it all down and then seen them off.

 

While Sherlock was haling a cab John tried to think what had been said between Donavan and Sherlock. Had they already set up upon another victim? Bakenrigde perhaps? 

 

No, if the case had been solved years ago, he or she couldn´t be their next victim, right? He eyed Sherlock from the side as they sat in the cab, but the consulting detective seemed to be lost in his own world at the moment. He seemed to be thinking about something as well, maybe even lost somewhere in his mind palace, John couldn´t tell. 

 

It was just as they stepped into 221b when John finally allowed himself to ask a question, as he was clearly at loss. “Sherlock, what was the Bakenrigde case about?” 

 

Sherlock´s face lit up immediately. “Ah so you noticed it. Well done, John. Anderson, Lestrade and the rest of the idiots would never do that.” he sat down on the couch, making himself comfortable. “Anyway I shouldn´t tell you, but for this you should be rewarded. Alissa Bakenrigde was a heroine addict who overdosed a few years ago. She had been clean for three months before though, so I showed them that the heroine was forced upon her and she didn´t take it herself.”

 

Okay, that made half way sense, John guessed. “And you are going to do something about her killer then?” He asked and Sherlock let out a sigh. 

 

“I thought about it. He could... well actually he fits our code as he has killed at least 12 people now, but never could be convicted. I suggested him to Donovan, but she blocked me. I have no idea why, as she ran off.” 

 

John laughed at Sherlock´s grimace. “Maybe she had a good reason. Just ask her tomorrow at the Yard. You´ll get your next kill early enough.”

 

This time it was John himself ingesting the kiss and to his surprise Sherlock laid back and let him take over. Strange as it sounded, but when they were alone it was mostly Sherlock who initiated intimacy. 

 

They were kissing passionately until John´s brain thought of something and he stopped. “I mean, its not like you have urges right? I never noticed...” 

 

Sherlock actually laughed at this, which unnerved John a bit. “John you have been exposed to Donovan´s insults a bit too often, I´m afraid. I think I need to tell her to tone that part down a bit. But to ease your worry: no I don´t feel any urges. I kill out of practicality and not for lust or something like that.” 

 

John took a deep breath at that as he believed Sherlock. He would have been surprised if it had been different because he felt he would have noticed it if Sherlock actually got off on kills, but one never knew. 

 

Maybe Sally´s insults really had been getting to him, who knew? 

 

Sherlock though had been watching him the whole time and now was the one who pushed him back into the couch cushions. “You know, I have no idea how you can even entertain that idea as I have already shown you countless times what I actually get off upon.” 

 

A kiss. Sherlock´s hand slowly sliding down his chest until they were on the front of his jeans, squeezing gently. 

 

“But maybe we need to reinforce that lesson, do we?” 

 

John could only nod as Sherlock started to seduce him. 

 

 

#

 

It had been a long but fun night, so John was still a bit tired as he found Sherlock in the living room at 9 in the morning, looking through some files.

 

“Good morning, Sherlock.” He said, but didn´t receive any recognition at all, as his friend seemed to be totally immersed into the case material.

 

John sighed, went into the kitchen to put on the tea kettle and then sat next to Sherlock on the couch. “So that´s the guy who killed Alissa Bakenrigde?” he asked and pointed at the photo of a non de-script middle aged guy in suit.

 

“Yes. That’s Robert Millerson.” Sherlock was still only half listening to him, but John realized he knew the man.

 

“Wait a second, the Robert Millerson, who is rumoured to be a head of a big drug cartel? I just read about him in the paper yesterday.”

 

“The one and the same.” The next sentence had brought Sherlock to look up though. “What did you read?”

 

“Just that he is protesting all the rumours and alleged court cases and is considering a move to Europe, all the while calling the London police names and cursing them to hell and beyond.”

 

A sigh. “Ah, nothing new then. And here I´d hoped. I have an idea though. Donovan said she was helping out another department, didn´t she?”

 

John remembered that. “Yes, she and Lestrade. She told me something like that last week but wasn´t allowed to tell me what she was doing. She mentioned it in case she or Lestrade would be unreachable for some amount of time.”  
  


“Well that´s because it´s the drugs squad and they are having an undercover operation aimed at Millerson going this weekend.”

 

John raised an eyebrow. “So you hacked into the data base and listened to police radio again.” he said, more as a statement than a question.

 

“I did.. well yes.” Sherlock grinned at that. “You are really learning John. Do get dressed, we are joining Donovan and Lestrade undercover.”

 

John let out a sigh but did what he was told. Part of him would have loved a quiet nice Saturday at home. But the other part was way too curious what Sally was doing with a drug boss undercover. Not that they would be joining them directly. Supposedly Sherlock just wanted to look from the sidelines. 

 

Supposedly.

 

#

 

It was already 4 in the afternoon when they found Lestrade. He and the rest of the drugs squad- all in civil clothing- were cooped up all around a street in South London, overseeing the Thames River. Lestrade though, understandably, was not really happy to see them.

 

“What the hell are you doing here?” he grumbled at Sherlock and John, taking Sherlock´s arm and making them duck behind the corner of an apartment house. “This is an undercover operation. How...”

 

Sherlock´s “I know.” made him stop.

 

“What? I know? What the hell are you doing here? I have no case for you at the moment as I´m helping out another department now. So go back to Baker Street. I´ll promise I´ll call you when..”

 

Lestrade´s radio pin in his ear choose this moment to announce “We might have a problem. Reception from inside is getting unclear” which due to Sherlock being so close, was also loud enough for him to hear.

 

“Sounds like you could use my help.” Sherlock countered and Lestrade sighed, and looked at John for help who just shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Where´s Donovan?” made Lestrade stop once again.

 

“How do you know?” he started but Sherlock simply rolled his eyes.

 

“Lestrade, let´s stop playing that game, ok? So where is..?” it seemed like it dawned on Sherlock immediately. “Ah I see, she has a history of going undercover and since all the faces of the drugs unit were used up they asked her, right? And you are here to supervise?”

 

Lestrade still didn´t look too happy. “Why are you asking when you already know anyway. And what´s with all the interest in Sally all of the sudden?”

 

A commotion from the other side of the street made him stop. All three of them ducked further around the corner to avoid being seen and the whole street suddenly was clear as if everyone had been swept away by a ghostly hand.

 

John could see Sally on the other side of the street, being lead, no more likely being carried by the looks of it, by three thugs, as Sherlock next to him seemed to become marginally angry.

 

“Oh no you didn´t. Tell me Lestrade, that you didn´t send her in there on her own.” Shaking his head Sherlock threw his hands in the air. “You damn imbeciles. You can not... Shit.”

 

The next seconds happened so fast John could hardly follow. While Lestrade´s in ear radio pin blared alive with “Oh my god! Shit, she´s been compromised!”, a struggling and screaming Sally was unceremoniously dumped into the dirty river. Sherlock had already shed his coat and was running towards the water, ignoring John´s call and the rest of the world around him.

 

It was unusually cold in London at the start of this December and some parts of the Thames had been sporting thin layers of ice already. John knew Sherlock wouldn´t last long against the current and the cold. A few minutes at most until hypothermia would set in and – he choose not to think about it.

 

But given the fact that Sally had been bound by her hands and feet her odds looked even more grim.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 

Lestrade and the other men of the drugs unit had the weapons out immediately and were running after Sherlock who didn’t seem to care about the up-starting fight at all. He simply pushed one of the thugs aside and ran farther towards the river and jumped. John´s heart seemed miss a beat as he heard Sherlock´s splash which seemed to follow only about a minute after Sally´s initial one. Taking up the coat, John kicked one of the thugs in the groin so that Lestrade could overpower him and then ran straight for the Thames as well.

 

Behind him he could hear police vans and more swat teams arriving, and Lestrade commanding the men to secure the thugs and to storm the building where Sally and the men came out. But John didn´t care, because he wouldn´t have cared if the damn world exploded behind him. His worry was solely for Sherlock and yes, also for Sally.

 

Arriving at the balustrade of the riverside, he just could see Sherlock´s head before the consulting detective went under to dive again. He breathed a sigh of relief that his friend seemed to be safe for now but then felt deep worry for Sally once more. What if she hit her head somewhere and was unconscious in the water already? With the icy temperatures, her being bound and maybe even hurt before- he didn´t want to imagine that. Hell, he found that he had actually grown quite fond of the loyal, passionate woman who loved to tease him with little things a lot lately. He had hated her guts before Sherlock came back, but now he knew the truth and actually had started to get to know her.

 

Luckily it was a only a few seconds until Sherlock´s head bopped up again, followed by another head next to him. John was relieved, even more so as he saw Sally move and cough, while trying to help Sherlock swim towards the shore. Soon Lestrade, who had appeared next to him sometime ago, helped him to get the two up onto a small dock a bit farther down the river which was probably used for small tourist boats and such.

 

Both of them were shivering like a leaf and Sally was still coughing her heart out which worried John a bit. Sherlock took the pocket knife, which Lestrade had somehow produced from somewhere, and cut the cable binders around Sally´s wrists and ankles. Then he acquired his coat from John, gently put it around Sally, before cradling her in his arms and scooping her up. All that while not saying a single word or answering Lestrade´s questions about whether they were all right and such.

 

He ignored Lestrade further and began to carry Sally away from scene, only to be held up by Lestrade´s hand on his arm.

 

“Sherlock you can not take her away from here, there´s an ambulance coming for you both and...” but then Lestrade stopped and as John saw the look Sherlock was giving Lestrade, he understood. Sherlock looked beyond pissed and albeit he still wasn´t saying anything he looked damn scary. The tiny growl he had given as he turned towards Lestrade had probably helped as well, so Lestrade let him walk once more as he began to carry Sally further towards the street.

 

Following them, John was a bit surprised she was allowing it, but then she was still breathing heavily, with occasional coughing fits in between. She definitely had gotten a taste of Thames water John decided, but was sure she would be all right if she would get somewhere warm soon.

 

“Don´t worry, I´ll take care of them.” he reassured Lestrade, who seemed to be a bit out of it as well, and followed Sherlock towards the main the street.

 

It took only a minute until Sherlock acquired a taxi for them, despite his strange look, a skill Sherlock had mastered like nobody else he knew. If this was an actual skill, to look like an important and well paying customer, or if Mycroft had his hands in it, John didn´t know, but at this moment he didn´t care. He was glad to get his two shivering friends at least into a warm taxi.

 

#

 

When they arrived at Baker Street, Sherlock had carried Sally directly into the bathroom. John followed them quietly, just making sure that nobody collapsed or anything, because with being in the cold for so long you never knew.

 

He had also chosen to simply watch them for the 10 minutes in the car, where Sherlock had put Sally on his lap, his arms around her, and made sure that she was wrapped up tightly in his coat. To John it made sense sharing body heat like that, but he also sensed something else.

 

Call it a vibe or something, John didn´t know, but it was obvious that Sally wasn’t the only one in shock. Sherlock´s anger at Lestrade, the way he was actually holding Sally now, his silence the whole time, all this told him that Sherlock had been scared shitless when the thugs had thrown Sally into the river.

 

The look in his eyes that Sherlock sported at present, reminded him of the day when Sherlock had come back from the dead. Later his friend had told him that he had been scared of being rejected that day, of losing him forever as Sherlock had feared, and John smiled it away then.

 

Today Sherlock had nearly lost Sally. And although they always pretended to not care, to not be friends or such things, John knew it was different.

 

And that was a hard for Sherlock to realise, John supposed. Because whatever Sherlock always said about him being strong and all that: he couldn´t deal with losing people.

 

And that John could understand.

 

Cause he couldn´t deal with it himself.

 

That was probably the reason he simply stood at the bathroom door and watched as Sherlock put Sally down in front of the bathtub, before switching on the shower. Sally´s body was still wrecked with slight tremors from the cold and Sherlock made quick work of first hers and than his clothes.

 

Donovan herself seemed to be just watching the dark haired detective, still trying to come out of her shock, but also with surprise. And even though it was completely intimate John couldn´t help himself and continued to watch as well. Then again, he was sure Sherlock knew he was there and if he wanted him out, he would have said something. Sally could see him from under shower as well and even seemed to look at him for a second, but didn´t say anything either.

 

It was somehow calming John, watching the two together now. Sherlock had started to wash Donovan, first with shower gel and now he was rinsing the shampoo out of her hair. Inwardly John grinned as he noticed that both of them were for men- Sally´s own things were back in the box now- and decided he might have to tease them about that later.

 

For now it simply wouldn´t fit the mood.

 

The washing had been surprisingly gentle but towards the end of it Sherlock had become more rough firm with his movements. Right now he pushed Donovan with her back against the wall before taking her head in both hands and kissing her roughly. Sally let out a low moan and responded immediately kissing back, a sound which instantly went to John´s groin. He probably should have been jealous, Sherlock being his affair or boyfriend or however you wanted to put it, but he couldn´t find himself to care. And it wasn´t because he had no feelings, it was just that he knew that Sherlock and Sally had been headed there from when Sherlock had switched on the shower. So the two of them having at it was no sudden surprise.

 

Instead it was incredibly hot watching them both move together. They seemed to be so different, she dark skinned, female though often rough around the edges while Sherlock had extremely white skin, was male and seemed elegant and planned in his movements most of time. Yet they were so similar in their strength and stubbornness and it showed even here.

 

Sherlock was attacking Donovan´s neck with his mouth now, while cupping her left breast with the left hand and slowly gliding down her body with the other. Sally though was busy as well, as she tried to plant little kisses at the side of Sherlock´s head whenever she could reach it. Her hands were cupping his ass, pressing him closer to her while she slowly started to grind against him.

 

Sherlock let out a hiss when Donovan pressed particularly close to him and stopped his actions for second to take a step back. John could see his friend was hard already and knew the slight smile on Sherlock´s face all too well. He let his own hands going southwards because why should these two have all the fun? Stroking himself he enjoyed the show even more.

 

With a low growl Sherlock picked Sally up, pressed her against wall and entered her with one sharp move making her groan. The thrusts where long, but hard from the start and somehow John wasn´t that surprised Sally liked it a bit rough. The dark woman was openly moaning now, kissing Sherlock deep and long to which he gladly obliged. Picking up the pace Sherlock seemed to become even more fierce, but Donovan didn´t seemed to mind as she was groping, kissing, licking and scratching as well anywhere she could reach.

 

John found Sherlock had a bit of a wolf at that moment – possessive yet elegant. And that´s what it probably was he supposed. Sherlock was showing that Donovan was his- after nearly loosing her. It was something Sherlock loved to do with him as well, sometimes he even left bite marks or love bites on John´s body. And so it didn´t surprise John that Sherlock bit Sally´s shoulder as he came. Sally seemed to be okay with it and followed a few seconds later with Sherlock´s name on her lips.

 

John himself still was still hard when the two got out of the shower. Sherlock made a quick work of drying them off a bit and then turned his attention to John, who was still standing in the door of the bathroom.

 

Only seconds later John felt himself being kissed possessively by Sherlock and responded in kind.

 

So it wasn´t that surprising that he found himself together with Sherlock and Donovan on Sherlock´s bed a few moments later. Sally had watched the two of them, but now moved in to kiss him and John found that he quite liked the way she tasted. He kissed her back, but then stopped her after a few seconds.

 

“Wait let me have a look at you first.” John explained, being the first one to really speak since they arrived, and Sally smiled at that and shook her head.

 

“I´m all right John. Just a bit cold but that´s better now.”

 

But John wouldn´t have it. Yes, he could tell that she hadn´t been in immediate danger while he had watched her with Sherlock, but the Doctor in him wanted to make sure. So he gently looked over and prodded at her body, noticing the bruise at the left side of her chin, where someone must have hit her. The lacerations on her ankles and wrists from the binders, a few small haematomas on her arms and ribs, which she probably had gained while she resisted being bound, but all in all she seemed to be as all right as she said.

 

Sherlock next to him seemed to wait for his verdict as well and so John turned towards him. “She´s right. She´ll be all right. I´ll give you two some antibiotics later cause you never know what´s in the water of the Thames but it sh...” he literally didn´t get any further as Sally´s tongue in his mouth prevented it. Sherlock was behind him, kissing his neck while he opened his fly and it didn´t take long for John to be naked liked the rest of them.

 

It was like floating. Sex with one partner was good but being attacked from two sides was something John loved. Now he hadn´t had that many threesomes in his life- this was his third to be exact, but that was because it only was enjoyable if you had the right people anyway. Sally was in front of him kissing him eagerly while he was inside her. He could feel Sherlock sliding in and out of him with a steady pace which made his nerves sing. It was like he couldn´t discern where one of them began and where he stopped. Warm skin, teasing lips and eager hands seemed to be everywhere and John lost himself in the sensations. Sally seemed to love his nipples at the moment, slightly biting them before she started to suck once again. She let him set the pace now and therefore he fucked her harder while Sherlock behind seemed to follow eagerly. The need grew and he kissed Sally at first before turning towards Sherlock who immediately complied as well, breathing heavy now, as he was close, too. Sally was the first to come with first his, than Sherlock´s name on her lips and he followed only a few seconds later, groaning loudly. Sherlock continued to thrust once, twice, three times before he paused coming hard as well.

 

What followed were three happy, but now completely exhausted, human beings, who untangled theirs limps with a bit of difficulty and then lay next to each other, catching their breath.

 

While John was still trying to recover and thinking of going to sleep after this eventful day, Sally was sitting up. She was just about to leave the bed as Sherlock stopped her by pushing her back into the blankets.

 

“Go to sleep. “He grumbled in a tone which left no room for argument and John was close to laughing. Sherlock surely was possessive right now, he thought and expected all kinds of resistance from Sally but instead she just lay down again.

 

“Whatever, but I have to be at the Yard tomorrow or the commissioner will have my head. So don’t grumble if I wake you up in the morning.”

 

The brown haired detective didn´t seem to care, as he slipped back into the bed as well, effectively trapping Sally with one arm over her before switching off the light.

 

John was so exhausted that he hardly had time to be amazed that Sherlock actually slept without complaining first, before falling asleep himself. 

 

#

 

When John woke it was already daylight. Sally was still next to him, to his surprise she was awake as well, her dark eyes watching him cautiously.

 

“Morning.” he smiled at her. “Where is..?”

 

“On the phone grumbling at Mycroft. I would wait until he´s ready if I were you, cause he is extra grumpy. I tried going to the bathroom and he hissed at me, so I came back to bed. But there are only 10 minutes left until I have to get up anyway or I´ll be late for the Yard.” She sighed and eyed the door, obviously listening if she could hear Sherlock grump in the living room.

 

“What do they want with you on a Sunday anyway? Especially after yesterday?”

 

“We have to close the case. Or at least I hope we can close it cause I couldn´t give them that much evidence. It was a trap anyway, they knew I was compromised the minute I walked in.”

 

John was about to answer but the door opened and Sherlock entered the room. He tried to be quiet but stopped once he saw them both awake. “Ah good you are awake. Finally. Sally, Lestrade is being annoying. He keeps sending me messages asking for you.”

 

Sally nodded. “Yeah no surprise there, he wants to know what happened. Probably thinks you killed me or something like that. I´ll be off in a few minutes, just need to shower first.” And with that she got hold of the box out of Sherlock´s cupboard again, took the last clothes and other things which were in there and went off to the bathroom.

 

It took Sally 15 minutes to get ready. John had put on a T shirt and some boxers and was sitting in the living room with Sherlock, who was reading the newspaper. Just after Sally left he would use the bathroom and get ready for the day. But then again maybe not. So far it turned out to be a lazy Sunday.

 

“Okay you two. I´m ready and off.” Sally announced, walking by Sherlock and ruffling his hair, clearly to annoy him. But there wasn´t a complaint. Instead the consulting detective put the newspaper down and drew a surprised Donovan towards him and kissed her. Sally seemed stunned for a second but then she kissed back, while John couldn´t hold his grin. 

 

Sherlock seemed nearly domestic all of the sudden. When the hell did that happen? Or more importantly what the hell had happened? Not that John minded. In fact, a relationship between three people was new to him, but the sex alone had been good already and ...

 

“I don´t do relationships.” Sherlock announced, making Sally laugh slightly as she walked over to John. John felt himself caught in some way. Damn how could he have known that? It was just an idea that occurred to him out of the blue.

 

The consulting detective though continued to shake his head. “Sentiment.” He mumbled, causing Sally to roll her eyes. “He doesn´t do relationships, John.” she mocked and moved in to kiss him. From the way she kissed him then, John was sure, that she wouldn´t mind either if there was a relationship. Her kiss was delicate but teasing and there were definitely feelings involved, which left him a bit stunned.

 

But then again he might be projecting.

 

Sally just winked at him before turning towards the door. “Okay freaks, see you on the next case. Try not to annoy Mrs. Hudson too much, okay?”

 

And then she was off.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone still reading?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bad day, can´t sleep so I thought I´d post some more. Maybe someone will enjoy it.

**Chapter 6**

 

The whole incident of Donovan nearly dying? Well that changed nothing. A tiny part of John had thought this would be the thing that might have, but it took only a few hours until Lestrade called Sherlock again. 10 times because Sherlock ignored him, so Lestrade finally called John instead.

 

Well, after John made Sherlock go to the crime scene because Lestrade kept begging him, it was all the same again. For Sherlock and Donovan it was back to ”freak” and trading insults once more.

 

Lestrade though didn´t seem to think it was weird. He hadn´t even asked about what happened with Donovan yesterday, so John thought he should simply leave it as well. Yes, he supposed it was still their cover, but after yesterday Lestrade surely wouldn´t believe them to be foe´s, would he? But maybe the two idiots needed to butt their heads because they didn´t know anything else?

 

No that wasn´t it. He had seen them much more gentle together. All the while while murdering a man none the less.

 

John simply couldn´t wrap his head around it. So he watched Sherlock and Sally arguing above a body of a 60 year old housewife. Cynthia Geederson had been found dead in her garden.

 

“Sally your incompetence seems to rise every day. Even Anderson would have seen that this shoe in the hall was evidence. And yet you kicked it out of the way.”

 

What the hell? That was a low blow, John thought. Anderson next to him was chuckling at Sherlock´s remark, which made John grumpy. Wasn´t he supposed to be on Sally´s side?

 

No wait, Anderson was an idiot anyway, so John chose to ignore him. A commotion behind John made him stop again. He was quite surprised, as was everyone else in the room, as DI Thomas Swanson entered the crime scene, followed by Sergeant Alexander Gill. John only knew them by sight, but knew they worked for the same division as Lestrade and Donovan.

 

Which probably meant there had been another murder.

 

“Lestrade? We have some news for you, I´m afraid.” Swanson announced and eyed Sherlock suspiciously. “What is he doing here by the way?” He asked and Greg Lestrade seemed to glower at him once he said that.

 

“He´s been consulting again and it´s none of your business. What news do you have for me then?”

 

“We found Samuel Geederson, a few blocks from here in the bushes. His throat has been cut.” Thomas Swanson said, making Sherlock perk up.

 

“Ah her grandson. Let me guess, he is wearing only one shoe?”

 

A nod from the surprised Swanson, while his Sergeant proceeded to shoot Sherlock a strange look.

 

“See Donovan, I told you the shoe you kicked out of the way was evidence. Every greenhorn would have seen that. But with your level of incompetence..”

 

John winced. Yes it was true that Donovan had kicked the shoe out of the way as she had stepped on it while walking towards the door to the garden. But it had landed only about 20 centimetres further to the left and she hadn´t touched it with her hands or anything like that. So if there was evidence like fingerprints on it, it shouldn´t make that much of a difference. Yet Sherlock went on.

 

“Well without me you probably wouldn´t have noticed it, would you?”

 

Sally was about to protest and John had had enough as well. “Sherlock.” he warned, but the consulting detective didn´t seem to care. “What? I´m only pointing out what´s right.” He complained and Sally seemed to be quite angry now. Understandably so.

 

“That´s bullshit and you know it.” She countered, but Sherlock had already turned away from her and towards Swanson´s team.

 

“And you are surprised I keep getting hired. Anyway, we need to look for someone who has a grudge against the family. The way the murder was committed speaks of deep hatred and serious issues against...” Sherlock proceeded to explain his suspicions of the supposed murderer but after a few minutes John found himself drowning them out. Sherlock had been an arse before, but that just now? He turned around and only then noticed Donovan wasn´t in the room anymore. It shouldn´t have been that surprising after what had happened, but honestly John had expected a little more resistance from her.

 

Still Sherlock had just completely dressed her down, in front of Lestrade, Anderson and Swanson´s team. That alone had been bad enough, but what had disturbed him the most was the glee with which Sherlock had done it with.

 

Leaving Sherlock to his deductions for once, he decided to look for Donovan. He found Sally outside, standing around the next street corner, cigarette in hand.

 

“I didn´t know you smoked.” he tried and smiled at her and Sally let out a long breath, watching the smoke form in the cold air.

 

“Yeah, just sometimes. He drives me crazy you know?”John nodded. Of course he knew.

Sherlock drove him crazy often enough as well.

 

Sally seemed to watch him closely now and John wanted to say something but she stopped him, holding up her hands. “Don’t. You don’t have to apologize for him. I know he is like that. I’ve known him longer than you, haven’t I? Hell I´m still surprised he rescued me yesterday. Always thought he´d let me drown, just because there´s one less witness to worry about then.” She laughed, then shook her head. “Sorry for storming off like that. Sometimes he just gets to me. Even though I know I shouldn´t care. “ She motioned him to go back to the crime scene with her and he started to follow.

 

“Well, for the record I thought it was pretty below the belt and unnecessary. Especially since you only are pretending to insult...”

 

“It’s not always pretending, John.” That made him stop. What the hell? Why wouldn´t they pretend? Just when he thought he had figured them out.

 

Sally just sighed as if she could read his thoughts. “We aren´t friends, me and Sherlock. I thought that once, but Sherlock proceeded to prove me differently.”

 

“So what are you then?”

 

“Hell if I know.” Sally shrugged and stopped in front of the house with the crime scene, eyeing it as if she didn´t really want to go in.

 

John just shook his head. “More than you think probably. “ Sally didn´t look impressed but didn´t say anything, so John went on. “Yet I´m still surprised you manage to..” He halted, looking at the house, knowing it was not a good idea to talk about this here. “... you know.”

 

Sally grinned at that and shrugged her shoulders again.

 

“Honestly, I´d love to know what started all this.” John tried further and to his surprise Sally actually answered.

 

“Well, it wasn´t my idea. Sherlock was the one who came to me.”

 

 

_Seven years ago, about three years before Sherlock met John_

 

_When Sally Donovan had started in the Police Force she had been young and naïve. She had believed she could make a difference. She believed there would be justice for everyone- just if there was someone who fought hard enough for it._

 

_It took her 3 months on the force until she learned otherwise._

 

_There had been some pretty gruesome murders. The victims were all female, had little to no money, were lonely and had been targeted because of that. Promises had been made. They had believed Nigel Chomsky was genuinely interested in them. A normal, lovable guy, searching for a girlfriend, a wife even._

 

_It couldn’t have been further from the truth._

 

_At first he started slowly. It was like he was playing with them. Separating them from friends and families, all in a few weeks, before trying to manipulate them into total obedience. What followed was prostitution, violence and drugs – until he bored of them. Then he disposed of them._

 

_Mostly they were simply killed mercilessly and then thrown into a rubbish bin or something like that._

 

_It hadn´t even been that hard to find out who was behind killing these 5 women. She had done most of the work, but of course it had been Sherlock who had given the final tip again. But even if Sally would have loved to have solved this case by herself she didn´t really care. It was solved and that was what counted._

 

_But as she had brought her evidence to her DI, a man in his late fifties called Williamson, she had been in for a surprise. He told her to leave it. Same for Commissioner Dan Bailey, who was heading the Yard at that time._

 

“ _Ah Sally, there are more important cases you should work on. Nobody cares about some prostitutes.” The commissioner had told her._

 

_But she hadn´t given up, especially since Sherlock had warned her that that would happen. And as she and Sherlock collected evidence there even had been a court case, in which the judge told her she was “seeing things” and that Mr. Chomsky was said to be an honourable citizen serving the queen._

 

_Sally´s reality had crashed around her then._

 

 

“Well, 2 years later we had the big scandal where it came out that some members of the Yard and the court had been bribed by high society people for years, but back then I couldn´t do anything against them. And then Sherlock came and said that there was another solution since we couldn´t take him down by normal means. I mean, I´d love to say he talked me into it, but I don’t think I needed much talking into. But I´m still surprised he came to me and didn´t go to Lestrade.” Sally finished and John wanted to answer, but the door opening announced Sherlock, Lestrade and Anderson coming out. So he simply nodded at her, and she nodded back.

 

They would talk about it at a more appropriate location.

 

Sherlock was the first to come out, a few steps ahead of the others. He simply walked by, suspiciously ignoring Donovan on purpose.

 

“John, we are leaving.” he announced and went off quickly, leaving John to roll his eyes. Knowing that Sherlock would indeed leave him behind if he didn’t hurry, he gave in and followed after saying goodbye to Sally and the other Yarders.

 

Hurrying after Sherlock turned out to be quiet a feat, as he was practically running to get a taxi. Once inside they were silent for a few minutes until John finally had enough of it.

 

“Was that really necessary with Sally?” he asked, looking at the consulting detective who kept staring out of the window. “I get that you need to pretend you to hate each other and all, but embarrassing her in front of the other team?”

 

Sherlock simply huffed. “She has been talking again to you, has she? Typical female. They always talk too much. I am someone who acts and doesn´t speak about it but she always wanted to talk about it.”

 

John sighed. “That doesn´t answer my question. Why the hell did you attack her like that?”

 

“Well maybe she will talk to you now.”

 

“Sherlock!” John grumbled, now much louder, so that the taxi driver was giving them a strange look. “Would you listen to me? I´m just trying to understand how you two...” Seeing that Sherlock was still looking out of the window, he gave up. They were just entering Baker Street anyway.

“Okay, okay, I give up. You wont tell me anything anyway, I know that.”

 

The car came to a halt and they paid the driver and got out. Instead of walking to the front door with him, John turned side ways. “I think I need some fresh air. See you later.”

 

No comment came from his companion so he started to walk, then suddenly Sherlock spoke once again.

 

“John you are too hung up on sentiment.”

 

John just shrugged his shoulder. “Yeah, maybe.” He whispered and walked on.

 

#

 

He had already walked about twenty minutes and still didn´t want to go home. It was weird, he had known about the situation for about six weeks now, but strangely it seemed to be crashing down on him now. Maybe it had been what had happened to Sally yesterday. Well and of course the threesome thereafter but he couldn´t simply push everything away anymore.

 

The fact was, the two of them were murderers. And even though he knew that for a while now, he still felt uncomfortable about it. And yet he could understand. Part of him approved even.

 

And that wasn´t just because these two murderers had started to catch his heart a bit.

 

Well, Sherlock had actually been in his heart for a while now. But Donovan was new and made everything more complicated. For him it already had been enough being in love with someone who ignored feelings most of the time or actually didn´t have them, at least not very often.

 

And yet their friends of benefits thing had worked.

 

They had had their boundaries and rules and John had set up his heart according to them. But now there were so many new sides to Sherlock and to himself that he needed to process this.

 

Lost in his thoughts he failed to notice the black car until it was right next to him and cursed. Mycroft. Just the man he needed right now. Not.

 

Why did he always need to get his hands into everything Sherlock related? Sherlock was right, it was definitely annoying.

 

“Good evening, John. I believe we need to talk.”

 

A sigh. “You believe?”

 

“After recent developments, yes. Get in please.”  
  
John contemplated running for a second, but then decided not to. Even if he eluded Mycroft now, he knew that the older Holmes brother would pursue him again. The man got what he wanted, and it wasn´t a surprise with the people he knew and the strings he could pull.

 

Inside the limousine John of course found not only Mycroft but Anthea as well. As always she nodded at him, before getting back to her blackberry again.

 

Mycroft nodded as well and smiled while he knocked on the window which separated them from the driver and the car drove on.

 

“So what do you want?” John asked. He wasn´t in the mood for this at the moment so he wouldn´t play nicely. But he guessed Mycroft had deduced that anyway.

 

“How are you doing John?”

 

“Mycroft, I´m not here for pleasantries...”

 

“Let me rephrase it: how are you doing after what you found out six weeks ago? I just want to help, as I can’t imagine it being easy to find out something like that.” He tried to look genuinely concerned which made John laugh.

 

“I´m doing fine, don’t worry.” he managed, hoping that Mycroft would leave him alone.

 

“You don’t seem to be fine though, John.”

 

“Yeah. But that has nothing to do with the fact that Sherlock and Sally take justice into their own hands sometimes.” Well okay it had, at least kind of, but Mycroft didn’t need to know this.

  
“And yet it has to do with them doesn´t it? I heard what happened today John. You are annoyed with how my brother treats people. And how he treats you.”

 

Why was he even trying to hide anything from Mycroft? The man probably had ears everywhere or so it seemed. “He can be an arse sometimes, yeah. Sometimes I think he believes people belong to him. He treats them as if they were equipment.”

 

Anthea let out a sigh, but didn´t look up from her blackberry, which led Mycroft to look at her for a second. He patted her arm before he regarded John again. “True. He seems rather possessive sometimes I suppose. But it’s not all in bad blood. I think I should tell you more about how his and Donovan´s first murder came to pass. Something he hasn´t even told her about as far as I know.”

 

Was there anything Mycroft didn´t know? “More to the story Sally told me?”

 

A nod.

 

“Sure. Tell away. But first, how do you know so much about this? Did you also spy on him back then?”

 

In reply Mycroft let out a rather hearty laugh which John hadn´t thought he would be able to. “No, no. There actually was a time when we as brothers confided in one another, believe it or not. Sherlock came to me right after he persuaded Sally Donovan to help him.”

 

_Seven years ago..._

 

_To say Sherlock Holmes was annoyed would have been an understatement. He guessed it shouldn´t have been a surprise, given that he was surrounded by idiots. Idiots that never appreciated his hard work._

 

_So he had been busy providing clues pointing to Nigel Chomsky, a rich man who had been killing his supposed spouses for a while now, after abusing them cruelly. He had already, a while ago, tried to make the police aware of theses crimes, but no one wanted to listen to him._

 

_After a while he managed to persuade Donovan. She had actually been helpful sometimes, and he had believed she might have made a decent officer one day. But she had failed as well, as the idiots always did. Hadn´t he told her that she shouldn’t trust her colleagues? And yet she had been gullible as well, and now the evidence was gone. Destroyed probably._

 

_It was always the same, he supposed. These idiots wouldn´t see the crime if it happened right in front of their eyes. And the ones in the Yard who had been bribed just didn´t care. It was too bad he couldn´t expose them, but he had begged Mycroft not to. Apparently the members of the Yard who had been bought were involved in something way bigger, and Mycroft had yet to find the ones pulling the main strings._

 

_Once he´d get the green light he would expose them with glee. But for now he had to wait._

 

_He was just about to leave the court house when he bumped into Sally again. She looked rather stressed, nearly shocked even, a result of being told by the judge that she was just “seeing things” he supposed. And yet it had been her own fault. She should have held onto the evidence by herself. What, with all her bribed colleagues in the Yard, it was no wonder it had vanished. And then making the mistake which resulted in the rest of the evidence being contaminated? God, she couldn´t have been that green behind her ears, could she? He was seriously annoyed by that._

 

“ _So Donovan, have you seen your mistakes now, or do I have to explain yet again to your slow mind what you did wrong?” he grumbled at her and she simply looked at him, worrying her lip. She was probably thinking of a retort but in her state failed to do so. Pathetic._

 

“ _Yeah, I thought so. Well maybe you are happy that he is free thanks to your incompetence.” He nodded towards Nigel Chomsky, who just came out of the court room at that moment. “ You really shouldn´t be in the police you know? You are too weak, too gullible for the work. You can´t do what it takes.”_

 

_Sally had looked even more shocked then and somehow Sherlock had been satisfied. Maybe the shock would get some sense into her. She, of all people, should have listened to him,; they had known each other for long enough for gods sake! He had the genius mind, damn it! If he said that her colleagues had been compromised she should have believed him!_

 

_Without waiting for an answer, he had turned away to search for loo. After that he would get a taxi to go home, since there was nothing else to be done here. There were experiments waiting for him after all._

 

_Five minutes later he left the building._

 

_From afar one already could hear laughter from the parking lot and Sherlock groaned inwardly. It was Nigel Chomsky with his people. They apparently were in a good mood- well no surprise there. As Sherlock had no desire to meet them at the moment, he opted to stay hidden and wait until they left. He could get a taxi then._

 

“ _Can you believe this black bitch actually trying to convict me? Laughable!” The men laughed at Chomsky´s crack and Sherlock couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Pathetic._

 

“ _Yeah it´s her loss. Don’t think she´ll make it far in the police. Hell, did you see? Even Holmes turned on her, she was close to tears” Chomsky´s attorney, a man called Shipman, quipped and there was more laughter again._

 

_Well, maybe he had been a little harsh, Sherlock thought,but..._

 

“ _Oh just wait to see how she´ll look once I get her and shove my cock down her throat. She´ll be crying a lot then.”_

 

_That made Sherlock stop. He hadn´t thought his disgust for Chomsky could actually rise, but at that moment it did exactly that. By tenfold._

 

_That and another thing inside was rising as well: His anger._

 

_No one would lay a hand on Donovan. He would make sure of that._

 

 

“So there actually was some sentiment for Sally on his part. I knew it.” John rolled his eyes and shook his head simultaneously. So typical Sherlock.

 

“I believe so. I believe there still is, after the events yesterday, but you guessed that already, having experienced it first hand.”

 

Wait a second. “You didn´t watch us, did you? If there are any cameras in my bedroom...”

 

Before John could get any louder Mycroft held up his hands and stopped him. “Despite Sherlock´s ever-ongoing jokes, there are no cameras in 221b. But I did see the CCTV from the street close to Thames and saw Donovan come out of Baker Street the next morning, so it wasn´t that hard to deduce.”

 

Okay, John had to give him that.

 

“What I wanted to say is that Sherlock sometimes has a strange way showing affection. Doesn´t mean it isn’t there.”

 

John huffed at this. “Why haven’t you told Sally about this?”

 

“I once promised not to tell her. And I keep my promises. But that promise didn´t include you so I´m all set. That and Ms. Donovan doesn´t trust me.”

 

“I see.” No surprise there. She actually believed that the Holmes´ brothers would rat her out. Maybe he would have to tell Sally a story, he decided.

 

“But coming back to what you found out weeks ago..”

 

“I told you I´m okay. Hell, I killed the cabbie. Can´t say I feel guilty about that.” And it was true. He was okay with that. Talking with Mycroft had actually helped to reaffirm that, but he´d never admit that to the other man.

 

A nod and a satisfied smile from the older brother. Maybe that would ease Mycroft´s ever present worries and he would stop meddling, John hoped.

 

“And you? How do you feel about your brother killing people?” he asked then, out of curiosity.

 

The man in question smiled again. “How I feel? Well, you see, for my work I have to make decisions. Sometimes in consequence people get killed as well. It comes with the territory. I believe that these criminals have to assume that there could be punishment for their crimes, so to be honest I won’t shed a tear for them.”

 

John nodded as he felt similar. These people would only get what was coming to them.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 

Once home, John felt himself being watched. He supposed he didn´t really care that Sherlock was fussing around him right now. Of course he pretended he didn´t. So John settled down in front of the fireplace and watched Sherlock sitting on the couch, still occasionally stealing glances at him.

 

“You know it isn´t a bad thing.” He announced finally after a while, making Sherlock look up from the book he was reading. “Caring I mean. Caring for Sally. Or for me isn´t a bad thing.”

 

“Did she put the bug in your ear or is it just because she is a woman? I told you, I´m married to my work John.”

 

Inwardly John nearly laughed. “Yeah I know. And no it wasn´t Sally. It was just the whole situation. But it´s all right, I know you care. And I think I get that you are doing things like that today to make sure no one knows. Hell, you are doing it to make us back off.”

 

Sherlock huffed at that. “I don´t get your sentiment. If you want to pretend you are in love with Sally, fine, but leave me out of it.” The consulting detective got up to retreat to his room and John couldn´t help but smile.

 

“I didn´t say anything about love Sherlock. I meant caring. As in friend. Although...”

 

“Whatever.” Was all John heard before the door to Sherlock´s room was closed. John couldn´t help himself and rolled his eyes at his. Just typical. Nevertheless, this had come close to an admission and therefore he was sure Sherlock probably had more feelings for Sally and for him then he wanted to admit to.

 

But it was all right. Now he knew there were definitely feelings of some kind. That was enough for the moment. 

 

#

 

The next day saw them back at the Yard. Lestrade had found a potential suspect for the murder of Mrs. Cynthia Geederson and her grandson. To John’s surprise, Sherlock still seemed to ignore Donovan, for the most part, but at least they weren´t clawing each other’s eyes out. That had to be a plus, right?

 

While Donovan was in the interrogation room questioning Tim Barlow, a close family friend of the Geederson`s, Sherlock, Lestrade and John were watching through the false mirror. 

 

It took only 10 minutes until Sherlock sighed and turned away. “Oh how disappointing.” 

 

That made Greg´s head go up instantly. “What?” 

 

Sherlock simply rolled his eyes. “Come on, you have to see it?” 

 

A shake of Lestrade´s head initiated a groan from Sherlock as he realized John wasn´t getting it either.

 

“It was Barlow. He´s been having an affair with the child’s mother and wanted her to leave her husband. She didn´t comply, not wanting to rob her child of its father. So he made sure the kid didn´t stand in the way anymore. The grandmother was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.” 

 

Greg sighed. “And you know that how?”

 

“Oh come on Lestrade.”

 

John shot Sherlock a warning look. “Sherlock.”  


“Just watch how he reacts to Donovan´s questions. Especially when she mentions the child. He regrets it though, if it’s any consolation.”

 

Lestrade grimaced. Obviously it was no consolation but even John doubted Sherlock would understand that. “And why did he take the child out of the house then? Maybe he planned a kidnapping instead and it went wrong?”  


Sherlock shook his head. “No. He had to work up his courage, that´s why. The child was likely crying when he took it and that made him angry. He feared being discovered and used that anger.” 

 

Lestrade was still not fully sold on the idea. “Okay. I ´ll tell Sally and she can ask specific questions so that we can get a statement out of him.”

 

It was that moment when Sally got up and left the interrogation room. Only moments later she was standing next to Lestrade, apparently not a happy camper. 

 

“Ugh. Lestrade do me a favor and have someone else question him when he starts to babble.” She said upon entering the room, making everyone look at her.

 

“Why?”  


“Cause he killed them and I´m going to bash his face in if I have to go in there once more.” Six surprised eyes were upon her then and Donovan let out a long breath. “Come on, you must have noticed how he is behaving? The way he reacts to the questions? The tremor in his hands and...” 

 

Lestrade held up his hands. “Well, Sherlock just said the same a few moments ago.”

 

Which made Donovan an even less happy camper. “Oh great. What´s he doing here anyway? We can still solve cases on our own you know?” she directed at the dark detective, who, to John´s surprise, simply seemed to watch her closely without any complaint. 

 

“ I see.” he said simply as they went out the door into the bureau section of the Yard.

 

“Wow, you see. And still you are here. Great.” She huffed and John nearly shook his head watching them. They were like children really.

 

With that, Donovan turned towards Lestrade again. “Listen, I know it´s not professional behaviour asking to be removed, but it’s just when I think about that child, I want to...”

 

“No, it actually is. And honestly, after what you have been through lately you are allowed to be a bit angry. Take some time Sally. You have done well.”   
  
Sally smiled at that and went to her desk to get some of her things, only to be approached by a grinning Anderson. “Wow, that was great work, Sals. I just overheard.” 

 

While Lestrade went off to question Barlow himself, John and Sherlock remained behind in the bureau. 

 

Where they were treated to a not so amazing tableau of a flirting Anderson. “Well, you cracked the case before the freak, didn´t you? We have to celebrate this! How about we get something to eat and then we get some dessert at my house..”

 

To John´s surprise, Sherlock hadn´t even tried to leave yet and he felt his friend stiffen at Anderson´s last words. Trying not to laugh, he watched as Sherlock even followed Sally after Anderson returned to his laboratory. 

 

Sherlock was jealous! He couldn´t believe it. Sherlock was really jealous, of Anderson nonetheless.

John was greatly amused, but somehow a bit wary as the younger Holmes brother followed Donovan even farther. 

 

It wasn´t as if Sally was unsuspecting of her follower, she simply went on to the car-park to get her car and in the dark parking lot was where Sherlock finally caught up with her. 

 

Without saying anything else, he grabbed her, pushed her into the dark corner next to the exit for the stairs and kissed her. 

 

Sally seemed to be stunned for a moment, but then kissed back, causing John to grin and shake his head as the kissing grew fiercer. John might have even wasted a second or two worrying about the place they were at, but then decided he could always warn them if he heard someone coming. For now he found it damn kinky and enjoyed the view. Hell, who knew he liked to watch so much? It sure as hell was new to him, but maybe it was just Sherlock and Donovan. Whatever it was, he decided he didn´t care and would have fun.

 

Sherlock though suddenly seemed to come back to his senses, stopped the kiss and looked at Donovan for a second. But Sally seemed to have her own agenda now. She grabbed Sherlock´s ass and hands, turned him around and pushed him against the wall, kissing him again. In the midst of the deep kiss, her hands started to wander, first along Sherlock´s sides, stroking there, before one of them landed on the front of his pants, squeezing.

 

John could hear both of them breathing and moaning quietly now and pondered joining them for a few seconds, however this time Donovan stepped back and interrupted the make out session.

 

“Well I´m off then.” She said, turned around and walked towards her car a bit down the lot. Just as Sherlock was about to leave the dark corner to grab Donovan and get her back again, they heard a voice calling.

 

“Oh hey Sals, you heading home?” It was constable Benson from the drugs unit, and John could see Sherlock´s face getting darker and angrier every second. He half expected him to jump out of the dark and grab Donovan, but then noticed that his friend was rock hard and that his Sherlock’s pants were betraying nothing. John couldn´t hide his smirk. If Sherlock didn´t have the long coat his excitement definitely would have been seen. 

 

Stifling a laugh he watched as Donovan walked away and got into her car, while Sherlock suddenly grabbed him from behind. He allowed Sherlock a deep, lusty kiss and enjoyed him grabbing his ass, but then put the other man´s ministrations to a stop. “There´s no way I´m doing this here, not too far from police cameras, and more importantly with the risk of being discovered by a police officer at any second.” 

 

He managed a few steps away, into the range of one of the cameras and wasn´t sure if he imagined the deep, low growl from Sherlock. “No Sherlock you have to wait. Just use your coat to...” 

 

A few seconds later the consulting detective was gone. As it turned out an unsatisfied but horny Sherlock was an extremely unhappy Sherlock, John thought, and laughed. It really was like in Kindergarten with these two. Just with adults. 

 

But then again Sherlock deserved that after humiliating Sally. He worried a bit about what Sherlock would do in return, though.

 

#

 

John had returned to Baker Street by himself then. Once there, Sherlock wasn´t in the flat and he worried a bit what his friend was up to, but then dismissed it. He was a grown man, damn it. Surely he wouldn´t get into too much trouble? 

 

Before he could think any further, there was a knock on the door and Mrs. Hudson entered the flat. “Sherlock still out then?” She asked and John nodded. 

 

“Ah, always running about that one.” She looked at him with her what John had started to call “I´m going to see if you need anything, but I´m not your housekeeper” - look and apparently she found something that concerned her. “How about you come down and we have some tea? Keep an old lady some company, will you?” she said, smiling at him and John sighed inwardly. As if he could deny her anything when she looked at him like that. 

 

So it didn´t take long until he was sitting in Mrs. Hudson´s kitchen, eating lovely, fresh scones and drinking a cup of fresh brewed tea. 

 

“So what´s up with Sherlock lately? Did you two have a row?” John nearly laughed, hearing that. Sometimes Mrs. Hudson went straight to the point. 

 

“No, well not really. But he and Sergeant Donovan always bicker and... it´s kinda complicated.”

 

Mrs. Hudson smiled at that. “Darling, it’s Sherlock so it’s always complicated. But he´s fighting with Sally again?” A sigh from the old lady. “Well, I guess he´ll never learn.”

 

“Wait a second, you know Sally?”

 

“Yes, she sometimes comes here and leaves cases for Sherlock. Has done this for a long time already and often I was thankful. You know Sherlock is a bit of a handful when he is bored.” 

 

Still surprised by this John could only nod. 

 

“Well she is a nice girl really. Can be a bit rough sometimes and doesn´t trust others easily, especially when it comes to Sherlock of course. But nobody can grudge her that.”

 

Great. Another thing he didn´t know. But maybe had a chance to catch up now, John decided. Mrs. Hudson seemed to know what he was thinking because she continued. “He never told you, did he? About the drugs, I mean?”

 

John shook his head. “Not really, no. He gets evasive when I try to ask.” 

 

Another sigh. “Ah well, always the same. But I will tell you now cause I believe you should know. It will explain a lot really.” 

 

Okay. This was going to be interesting. 

 

“Well back when I first met him, while I had that unfortunate business with my husband, he was clean. Later I learned, he had only been clean for a few months back then. And the person that helped him to get away from the drugs was Sally.” 

 

Now when he thought about it, it made sense. The old friends comment when Sherlock introduced her to John for sure. But then...   
  
“Let me guess, he relapsed. “ John stated and looked at Mrs. Hudson, who was watching him intently. “And knowing Sherlock he was probably an ass although she was trying to help.” 

 

“Got it in one. It was when I met her for the first time. He was taking drugs again and she tried to get him off of them. One night it was so bad that she poured her heart out to me, when we met in front of his flat....” 

 

 

 

_ Seven and a half years ago _

 

_To say Sally Donovan was pissed would have been an understatement. How dare he? How the hell did he make this bloody choice and choose the drugs again, after they had fought them together for so long?_

 

_They did have a deal, damn it!_

 

_And he had been better. Had started to become something great and..._

 

_No it wouldn´t help to dwell on it now. Grimacing she took the water bottle she had been collecting and went back to her bathroom again, where the subject of her anger was residing right now. Well residing as in either lying down on the bathmat or hanging over the toilet. All that while being cuffed to her radiator._

 

_No, strike the cuffed to the radiator part, she thought as she entered the bathroom and saw that Sherlock had literally torn off one of the pipes. Well, at least he was still hanging over the toilet, so that was a plus._

 

_She waited until the dry heaving stopped and offered him the water bottle. Even though he shot her a killer glare, he took it, rinsed his mouth and then started to drink greedily._

 

“ _So care to explain why you took that shit again? We had a deal, didn’t we?” She asked and Sherlock huffed._

 

“ _Why do you bloody care anyway?” he snapped and then even more snidely added: “I´m not your brother, Sally.”_

 

_Sally winced. Of course. He would start to attack her again. Been there , done that. “Leave Sam out of this, damn it.”_

 

“ _Oh, so you are not playing good Samaritan because you failed to save your kid brother? Even your mum thinks you are responsible, doesn´t she?”_

 

_That comment hurt in many ways, but Sally tried to remain strong. “Sherlock, just shut up, will you? I know it´s the bloody heroine talking, so I’m not impressed.”_

 

_The consulting detective actually giggled at that. “You really think that, don’t you? It´s just the drugs. But what if I´m right? You should have seen that Sam was using again. Just like you should have seen it with me.”_

 

“ _Well you are... were cuffed to the radiator weren´t you?” She countered but Sherlock held up his damaged cuffs in front of her face._

 

“ _There´s nothing here to stop me from getting out of here and getting more. Face it, you can´t save me. I don´t want to be saved anyway. So leave me alone already.”_

 

_He got up to leave, but Sally placed herself in front of him, catching his wrists. “No. I don´t believe that. You love that big brain of yours far too much to let it go mush through the drugs. And you were having fun, analysing the crimes scenes, weren´t you? Come on, say it!”_

 

“ _You are projecting your feelings for failing to save your brother from an overdose onto a complete stranger. I suggest getting some treatment for it before you react on your suicidal ideation.”_

 

_Now Sally couldn´t hide her wince. Of course he would know about it, would he? About how she talked to her mum on the phone two days ago. How it had spiralled out of control again, her mum hanging up on her, after telling her again that Samuel´s death was her fault. Because wasn´t she the police officer in the family? She should see such things then!_

 

_About how lost she felt after that - but also because she had only moved to London 6 months prior and she still hadn´t found any acquaintances or anything close to a friend._

 

_Not that she ever had many friends or people who cared for her in her life anyway, mind you. She had just contemplated simply vanishing again, giving up. It wasn´t like anyone cared anyway, right?_

 

“ _Or how about I help you. There are razor blades in the cabinet, just waiting to be used again. I could hand them to you.” Sally felt like she had been punched in the gut. How could he? She had been careful, always careful. No one had known.” Though I don´t get why you are trying to hold me here, when you could come with me instead. I’d even pay for the hit. You´ll feel brilliant.”_

 

_Yes sometimes she was curious. About what Sam and even Sherlock had found that they did it again and again, even after being clean for some time. But no, she was stronger than that. “Never. And I wont let you do it either. Hell, look at you, you are high as a kite and you are still deducing the shit out of me. That´s your brain screaming at me for help.”_

 

_Another manic giggle from Sherlock. “My brain? God Sally, even you can´t be so dim as to not understand this: I. Don´t. Want. Your. Help.”_

 

“ _But...” Sally was about to counter with another point, yet only felt the violent shove Sherlock gave her combined with a stinging pain at her temple, before everything went black._

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 

“He knocked her out then?” John asked and Mrs. Hudson nodded. 

  
“Shoved her out of the way. She hit her head on the radiator and was unconscious for a while.”

 

“Great. Okay, that actually explains a lot.” John mused and shook his head. “Did she... I mean was she all right?” 

 

“She was very lucky. Just a shallow head wound, you as a doctor probably know how much they bleed, but no concussion or anything like that. Sherlock ran at the sight of the blood but called Mycroft, who sent some medics to her place. I met her in the early hours of morning in front of Sherlock´s apartment just after she had gotten stitches at the hospital. She was just sitting there contemplating if she should give him another chance or not and we started to talk.” 

 

“And she did give him another chance?”

 

A nod. “I suppose. She´s still talking to him isn´t she?”

 

“Yeah, that´s true.” It was weird, John had always thought Lestrade or Mycroft had been the one to get Sherlock off the drugs. But in retrospect, Sally made even more sense. Especially after the revelation that they were killing together. You had to have an enormous amount of trust to do something like that. And that had to come from somewhere.  


And yet they both would probably deny trusting each other. 

 

“Thanks for telling me, Mrs. Hudson. “ John said and the old lady smiled knowingly at him. 

 

“It’s quite all right dear, I sometimes think Sherlock counts on other people to tell things like that because he doesn´t like to do so himself.”

 

John laughed. “Yeah probably. He´ll deduce that I know about it now and mumble angrily for a few seconds before going on with whatever he is doing at the moment.”

 

Mrs. Hudson laughed. “That´sounds like our Sherlock.” 

 

In the end Sherlock came home a few hours later and didn´t say a word about where he had been. But he did seem to be in a better mood, so John thought it was going to be okay. Also he had been right, Sherlock deduced that he now knew about Sally and the drugs, but he just shook his head and choose to say nothing about it. For a few moments John wondered if he should make Sherlock talk about it, but then decided against it. They would talk about it one day. But first Sherlock needed to sort through his feelings. 

 

Well actually they all did, he supposed. They needed some time.

 

 

#

 

 

Three days later, John went home early. It didn´t happen very often, but sometimes his shoulder would still make him nuts. Phantom pain most likely, yet it felt no less real at the moment. Lying down on the couch or bed seemed to be the only thing he could stand at these times, not being able to concentrate on his doctor duties through the pain. But luckily Sarah was an understanding boss and she allowed him to leave early these few days in the year, so it was all going to be okay.

 

Once home, he made himself some tea and placed himself onto the couch with a good book after applying some salve to his scar. It might have been about an hour later when he heard the key turning in the lock and some steps on the stairs. To his surprise the opening door revealed not Sherlock but Sally, two case files in hand.

 

“Oh hey, didn´t know you were home. Just thought I´d bring a bit of a distraction after we closed the case today. The guy confessed an hour after the interrogation session three days ago and has been transferred to a high security prison now.” She smiled at him, but then noticed he was lying down on the couch. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah, I am, the scar sometimes gives me some pain. I think it’s the weather or something but lying down helps. Thanks for the distraction. Without any cases he´s bound to go nuts in two days.”

 

“The scar, huh?” She placed the files onto the kitchen table and started to look around the flat. “How about I give you a massage? My dad had an old scar from Vietnam and my mum used to massage him and it seemed to help him. I´ve got some time anyway as it has just started raining outside, so it’s not an inconvenience or anything.” A closer look through the chaos Sherlock had left on the desk.”Do you have some lotion or something?” 

 

Meanwhile John had sat up and was shaking his head at her. “No it´s all right, you don´t have to. My shoulder will be all right after I rest it for a while.” 

 

“Don´t tell me you are just as bad as Sherlock when it’s about medical treatment?” she teased and John laughed.

 

“You know what they say about doctors making the worst patients. In my case I’m afraid it’s true”

 

“Well then, you can ask Sherlock, I don’t accept a no if I think it’s needed, and looking at your face I see that you are still in pain. Oh, and I´ve seen you naked, so you can´t opt out because of that either.” She grinned at that, motioning John to stand. “So up you get. We can use Sherlock´s bed as there´s much more space and I think I have some body lotion in the box.”

 

Before John could say anything her hand was covering his mouth. “I said I wouldn´t take a no for an answer. You don´t wanna try me.” 

 

And so it happened that John found himself half naked on Sherlock´s bed while Sally Donovan was gently kneading his shoulder muscles. A few years back this would have seen to be totally absurd, but after the last two months it actually made sense, he supposed. So why shouldn´t he enjoy it? So far Sally was really good at what she was doing and his shoulder pain had even diminished somewhat.

 

“Feeling a bit better?” Sally asked, and John found himself smiling at her. 

 

“Yeah, quite a bit already, thanks a lot. Have you done this for Sherlock as well?”  


“A massage? No. We are not like that.” She shook her head. “But I treated his wounds a few times. You know how he is about going to hospitals?” 

 

A nod from John. 

 

“Well how could you not. I´m glad he has you as his own personal doctor now, cause half of the time when I stitched him up I hardly had any idea about what I was doing. I even gave him stitches once and you can still see the scar. “ 

 

John smiled at that. “You do know that even when a doctor stitches you up you often still get a scar, cause it´s not always possible to prevent them? Especially when the injured likes to poke around in the dirt, and we all know Sherlock loves that.” 

 

She shrugged and continued to let her hands work his back. “Well at least I tried, I guess. Better than letting him rush about covered in wounds.” 

 

True that, John thought. It was so typical Sherlock. Yet he wasn´t sure if he understood Sally right. 

“Oh, after seeing you two in the shower I thought you two had been together quite a while already.”

 

Sally laughed. “Together as in lovers or friends with benefits you mean?” 

 

A nod.

 

“No. We´ve never been like that. Up until recently we only had sex once after the encounter with Moran in Paris and to be honest I was ready to file that under desperation or something like that.“ She bit her lip and looked at him directly. “Listen John, I know you are together with him and I´d never....”

 

He held up a hand instantly which made her halt. “No we are not together. Not as in being exclusive. Friends with benefits yes, but other than that...” 

 

“You know with Sherlock that´s like being as good as married, right? He´ll never admit any sentiment.” She stressed the last word and grinned. “But that’s who he is. You just have to read the signs. He is not as good at hiding them as he thinks.”

 

“Yeah, but there is sentiment for you as well, us three together proved that a few days ago. And I don’t mind. I just want to know, Sally, do you have feelings for Sherlock?” 

 

It was a like a predicted move: Sally getting fussy, not meeting his eyes, trying to get away but John was faster. He sat up and before Donovan could do anything he drew her in for a kiss. 

 

He could sense her surprise in the first seconds and prayed to himself that he hadn´t read the signs wrong, but to his luck she responded soon after. 

 

Letting himself relax into the soon heated kiss, they kissed until they were out of breath. Sally was smiling at him as he looked at her, still waiting for answers. 

 

“Seems like your shoulder is all better now?” She teased and he sighed inwardly. Of course she wouldn´t talk. She wasn´t running though, so he guessed she was giving this- whatever it was- a chance. Sally seemed to sense what he was thinking. “I... do we have to label this? We are all three okay with this right? So maybe we could just see what happens? Without any obligations?”

 

John nodded. “No obligations. I just wanted to see if I was reading the signs right.” He drew her in for another kiss and pressed her into the pillows. “And it seems like I have.” 

 

The sex with Sally this time was much less rushed. Back when she nearly had drowned it had felt like Sherlock had been in a race in claiming them both. Now John took his time in exploring her body, inch by inch. He always loved this, learning what his partners liked and then teasing them. 

Sally didn´t seem so shy herself, she let her hands and tongue roam over John´s body and he suspected she was doing the same as him. So it wouldn´t be the last time they were doing this, John assumed and found himself extremely satisfied by that. 

 

He stole another kiss and gently entered her after stealing a condom out of Sherlock´s cupboard. Sally had teased him that their grumbling friend would be probably have a fit when he was home and found out they did it his bed, but John wasn´t so sure. If there was one thing to say about Sherlock and sex, it was that he was generally open to anything. A soiled bed wouldn´t bother him. He hardly slept in his bed anyway nowadays and often joined John in his.

 

It didn´t take long for them to reach climax. He was glad when Sally didn´t immediately run away as Sherlock had often done at the start, but just let him hold her for a few moments. 

 

Yes he did enjoy a bit of cuddling, damn it. Sentiment all right.

 

Sally seemed to feel the same. “Wow. Thanks.” She mumbled and smiled at him. “To be honest, in the last few days I had more sex than in the last year.”

 

That surprised John and she must have seen it, because she laughed. “Hard to believe isn´t it? But despite what Sherlock said, there was only you and him in the recent past.”

 

“No Anderson?”

 

“I never had sex with Anderson. Unless you count the hand job I gave him when I was so drunk I couldn´t stay on my feet and sank onto my knees to stay at least upright. And I did that only to spite Sherlock, cause he said he´d disown me if I ever gave in to Anderson´s attempts to lure me into his bed.” 

 

John´s eyebrows shot up at this as he couldn´t believe it. “For real?”  
  
“Yes, for real. And yes it was that time.” 

 

John burst into laughter at that. “You two are unbelievable. Really.”

 

“Well yeah, we are always up to shenanigans.” She grinned in glee at that and John shook his head before giving her a gentle kiss.

 

“Yeah well. I rather like shenanigans. Why do you think I´m friends with Sherlock. How did you two met anyway? Did he walk into one of crime scenes or what?” 

 

Sally sighed and looked a bit grim at that. “Kinda. His dealer was murdered and he came into the flat where he had been killed when I was guarding the crime scene. He was high as a kite but still deduced who killed the man. It gave me the courage I needed to tell my DI about my own theory, which matched Sherlock’s, and impress him with that. I had never even met Sherlock before that day, but Sherlock had deduced I had the right idea about the murder, but I was a just a bit hesitant to go against my DI´s opinions. It was my second week on the force back then and I wasn´t adjusting very well. Sherlock proceeded to tell me I should get my guts together and be more courageous, then collapsed into my arms. He hadn´t eaten in a week.” 

 

Ah some things never change, John mused . “And you became friends instantly? I can hardly believe that.” he said then looking rather apologetic. “Sorry.”

 

“No. You are right. I fed him back then and he walked off again. But strangely we kept running into each other. Not only on crime scenes but in the Tube, the park and other places. And I kept thinking, damn he is a smart one, he shouldn´t waste his life doing drugs like that. He didn´t care about his life in the slightest though, so I started to tease him with complicated cases, saying he couldn´t solve them. He of course tried to prove me differently and eventually I started to get him off the drugs.”

 

“That must have been hell.”

 

A deep breath by Sally served as a response. “You have no idea. If he ever starts taking drugs again, I´m going to kill him myself.” 

 

There was nothing more to say to that. 

 

It was a short time later, when John noticed the scar on Sally´s right arm. Starting nearly at the crock of the elbow and leading towards the wrist it was even bigger than he imagined. It was clearly a wound which had been caused by warding off a big knife or something similar, and John shuddered at the thought. He remembered telling Lestrade off about his worries about Sally and couldn´t help himself as he gently ran his fingers over it. Sally’s instant reaction was to jerk her arm back, and John had to fight a bit to get the arm back again.

 

“You got that when you went against Moran, right?”he asked and could feel Sally nod against him. “Why did you never get it treated? It should have gotten stitches.” he asked, all gentle but the change in Sally was immediate again, as if she was scared of being discovered or something like that. 

 

“I don´t know. It wasn´t major and I didn´t want to explain..” 

 

John nodded. “Yeah, but it still should have gotten stitches. And you could have a gotten an infection. Lestrade was worried.” 

 

A sigh. “He always worries. No matter what I do.” John bit his lip at that. He could understand that. It wasn´t just the scar from Moran that worried him, it was the fact that it looked like it had been reopened again. Several times in fact. 

 

On purpose. 

 

If he hadn’t been a doctor, he probably wouldn’t have noticed it. Which was how Sally intended it to be.

 

Taking one arm to make sure Sally wouldn´t run off, and the other to run his fingers over the ragged scar again, he carefully chose the next sentence. “Next time you are hurt you come to me okay?” 

 

 

#

 

It was late when Sherlock came home, but of course he seemed to smell Sally´s presence instantly.

  
“So Sally, huh?” he said and John could only nod.

  
“Yes she was here until two hours ago. Came with another case for you. How do you even....?” 

 

Sherlock smiled. “Well the case file on the kitchen table for one. Then the tea cup, you hardly drink out of two tea cups, do you? That and you are relaxed. You texted me that you were having problems with your shoulder again, which usually means you are tense and in pain when you come home. But now you are relaxed, so someone helped you calm down and...” Sherlock continued to look around the apartment, immediately noticing the lotion which was standing on the desk now. “... a massage, great. That´s good you got her to do that, as it helps most of the time.”

 

“Well actually she suggested it herself. Just like you.” 

 

A smile from John, as he remembered Sherlock had helped him that way a few times already.

 

Sherlock though seemed to see something else in it. “Ah I see, not just a massage then. Seems like you had fun without me. In my bed even!” he mocked and John laughed at that.

 

“Jealous?” he teased as Sherlock´s phone began to ring. The consulting detective picked up instantly, but not without rolling his eyes and shaking his head about John´s teasing first. 

 

“Ah I should have known it´s you. Why do you call me at this unusual hour?” Sherlock grumbled at the person on the phone, like he always did and John rolled his eyes this time. Couldn’t he be nice just once? It wouldn´t hurt, would it? His thoughts were interrupted by Sherlock´s reaction to what the other person was saying. 

  
“Oh, I see. That´s unfortunate. Those imbeciles, they should forbid such people in law enforcement.“ 

 

More from the person on the phone which John couldn´t hear. 

 

“Yes. I will do so instantly as I´m afraid you are right. Don´t worry, I will make sure she is safe. And he won’t know what hit him.” With that he hung up and put the mobile back in his pocket. 

 

John had already guessed what was happening though. The “I will make sure she is safe” had made it clear for him. “It´s Millerson isn´t it? He got out?”

 

Sherlock simple nodded while picking up his coat. “On parole, yes.”

 

Damn it. No wonder neither Sally nor Sherlock believed in the justice system anymore. “So we are going after him first, before he gets to Sally? What is your pla...” 

 

He didn´t get to finish the sentence as Sherlock suddenly was next to him, shoving him onto the floor. And a second later he found himself cuffed to the desk. 

 

“Damn it, Sherlock. Let me go. I want to help.” John tried the hated cuffs but of course they wouldn´t budge. 

 

“I don´t think so. We told you the condition was for you to stay out of it.” 

 

“But that doesn’t mean you have to tie me up! Hell, I don´t even have to come with you, I could help differently. Maybe I can contact Lestrade?” 

 

Sherlock shook his head. He seemed like he was at least a bit sorry, though. 

 

Or John might have imagined it, who knew? 

 

“I´m sorry John, but I don’t believe you. Don´t worry, we´ll be back in a few hours and everything will be okay then.” 

 

It was meant to reassure but it didn´t do it´s job one bit and so he tore at the bounds as Sherlock walked towards the door. 

 

“Sherlock! You can not do this. I´m not going to be a problem. We go on cases, damn it. Why is this different?”

 

The taller man seemed to halt a second at the doorway but didn´t turn around. “Because I made a promise to Sally and I think she is right. Goodbye John.” 

 

And then he was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So do you guys agree with Sally and Sherlock? Or would you have taken John with you?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 

John tore at the damn cuffs, tried to kick the desk, but to no avail. After his hands started to hurt he finally gave up and tried to think. What else could he do? There was no way in hell he was staying here while Sherlock and Sally went off alone.

 

And nope, the promise didn´t count. Like they´d believed him anyway. Well apparently not because otherwise he wouldn´t be cuffed to the damn desk. 

 

Then suddenly he had an idea. Of course! He should have thought of that earlier.

 

"Mrs. Hudson! Mrs. Hudson, can you come up here for a second. Mrs. Hudson!“ he screamed on top of his lungs and started to kick the desk which also produced quite some noise. 

 

It took Mrs. Hudson about 5 minutes until she came up. "John what´s...“ Seeing his distress she shook her head at him. "Oh dear. What has he done to you? One of his experiments again?“ She asked and John nodded.

 

"Yeah kinda. There´s a boltcutter somewhere in the broom cupboard, maybe you can cut me loose? I really need to find Sherlock.” 

 

Mrs. Hudson, being the angel that she was, simply nodded and went into the kitchen to open said broom cupboard. Two minutes later John was free again. 

 

“Thanks.” he smiled at her. “No I just have to find Sherlock. Maybe...”

 

“Well if it helps, I saw him when he went out and he was talking on the phone to somebody. Said something about Stewart Street, but I have no idea who it was, sorry.”

 

John grinned at her. Perfect. “Oh it was most likely Sally. And I just know where Stewart Street is, so thank you.” Giving her a short hug he then got his jacket and some money and ran out. So far Sherlock had about 15 minutes on him. That should be doable. 

 

#

 

Stewart Street was nearly dark when John arrived by taxi about 20 minutes later. Since it wasn´t a long street he was careful when he went in. It wouldn´t do any good to announce himself either to Sally and Sherlock or to Millerson. So far he could only see the normal British family housing ofthe London suburbs on one side and a few halls and businesses on the other. Nothing strange really.

 

But one never knew and so it was better to be careful. Half way through the street the wind carried a quiet voice over to him, which John knew all too well. Heading in the direction from where Sally´s voice had come from he soon heard Sherlock´s baritone one as well and couldn´t hide a grin. 

 

Did these two really think they could hide from him? From someone who found his way out of the desert back to camp just outside of Kandahar, injured nonetheless? Never. He had even managed to find another soldier in the process and helped him home back then.

 

So it took him barely two minutes until he found the small business warehouse where Sherlock and Sally were and there he hid in the shadows, watching. 

 

From the looks of it they had already captured Millerson. John could see one person lying on the floor, probably unconscious, through the slightly open door in which Sally was standing, while talking to Sherlock. Both of them seemed to be deep in discussion. 

 

Disagreeing of course. No surprise there, John thought and nearly laughed out loud.

 

“Sherlock, I´m not sure it´s wise to do it here directly. We should get him to the container. It´s much safer there.” Sally tried but Sherlock was already shaking his head.

 

“No, his men are already on the lookout for him. From the numbers alone they could cover half of the town. We´d be discovered in no time since they already suspect us.”

 

“But anyone could walk in here any minute now...” Sally complained and Sherlock shrugged.

 

“Well then let´s get this over with..” it looked like they both were headed into the building just as Sherlock shot out so fast that John had no choice but to be discovered. He felt himself being grabbed by his arm and being lead towards the door by his friend and came face to face with an irritated Sally.

 

“Well let´s get this over with before anyone wanders in, huh? Didn´t you say you tied him up?” She directed at Sherlock, before she immediately turned towards John. 

 

”Damn it John, can´t you stay put for once.” She grumbled and all three of them slipped inside and shut the door behind them. 

 

Inside John could see that it was indeed Millerson lying on the floor, still unconscious. From the small blood trickle at his left temple it looked like somebody had knocked him over the head. Probably Sherlock he supposed. 

 

“Okay, Sherlock, you take him home and I take care of our guy there.” Sally then said and pointed towards Millerson. She didn´t even wait for an answer, turned around and headed towards a sports bag in the corner, rummaging through.

 

Sherlock watched her for second before he huffed, clearly annoyed by Sally´s idea and probably her commanding tone. “No.” 

 

John was inclined to agree so he added a “No.” as well. He had meant it when he said that he didn´t want to be excluded, and that meant Sally´s activities as well. Even when she chose to do them alone.

 

But from the looks of it he didn´t have to fight anyway as Sherlock didn´t look amused by the prospect of leaving Sally on her own to do the deed. 

 

Sally though was far from amused. Crossing her arms in front of her, her mouth set in a small disapproving line, her eyes went hard. “Well then I guess there won´t be anything happening at all cause I won´t do anything together with him. It´s bad enough we are risking everything but I won´t have anyone else...” 

 

It was at that inconvenient moment that Millerson chose to slowly wake up. So when he groaned and gradually started to move Sally was the first that literally jumped onto the man as she had been the closest. Luckily for her, Millerson was still pretty groggy, but that didn´t stop her from cursing, while she held him down.

 

“Damn it, is this my lucky day again? Sherlock take John and get him out of here.” 

 

John just shook his head and got closer to her and Millerson. Sherlock didn´t seem to take any of her shite either. He had wandered over to the bag, rummaged through it and took out a gun. Making sure that the safety was off, he went over to Sally and gave it to her. 

 

“How about we end this quick.” He suggested as Sally nodded and aimed the gun at Millerson´s head, while still literally sitting on him. But before she could squeeze the trigger, the door of the small warehouse gave a squeak. As all sets of eyes, including the still slightly struggling Millerson. shot over to the entrance, said door opened completely.

 

Staring at the intruder and then back at the scene with Sherlock, Donovan and Millerson, John was momentarily at loss for words. It seemed like everyone in the room was for a few seconds - deep in shock- so John pressed himself to say something. 

 

“Lestrade, this isn´t what it looks like.” he croaked more than spoke, expecting the situation to escalate any second now.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 

“Yes, it isn´t. They caught me. And I hereby give up...” Donovan said then, holding the weapon into the air, as if admitting defeat. Millerson began to struggle harder but still couldn´t get any leeway as Sherlock took the weapon from her and aimed it at Millerson again.

 

“Dumb woman. Do shut up! How you can think I´d let you take all the blame is beyond me, so get it out of your bloody head.” While Sally said nothing and just looked at him, clearly surprised, Sherlock turned towards Lestrade.

 

“Yes Lestrade, this is what it looks like. And I´m going to shoot Millerson, there´s nothing you can do to stop me. So how about you save yourself some time and leave and we´ll talk la...”

 

Greg Lestrade though didn´t seem to be impressed by that. He just shook his head. “No you are not. Unless you want his men to show up here, because they will hear the shot.” He pointed outside.” I don´t know why, but some of his men found a way into this street. So find a more silent method.”

 

While John´s brain just seemed to fail to work with what he just heard, Donovan´s mouth was opening and closing like a fish´s and even Sherlock looked surprised for once. Millerson, of course, took this time to start screaming for help like a banshee, which earned him a hit from Donovan who was still sitting on him. To John´s disappointment it did not knock him out but it left him drowsy and thus made the screamingstop for at least a few moments.

 

Since Sherlock and Sally were still taking care of holding down Millerson, it was actually John who went to the bag in the corner, after Sherlock motioned him to do so. Scanning the contents quickly he found a pack of bullets for the gun, duct tape, a small saw and three knives in total, all in different sizes. Taking out the biggest knife, he went back again, whereas Sherlock had gotten up and had taken one of the big plastic tubs the company that owned the half empty warehouse used to store electric parts in. As Sherlock set the tub down next to Millerson and Sally, John noticed it would be big enough for one man to crouch in. That would make it easy to hide the evidence.

 

Greg, who had used the few seconds to peer out the door for Millerson´s men, came over to them as well and didn´t look too impressed by the knife. “Oh, it’s going to get messy. Should have known that.” he grimaced, but still didn´t look like he would run away or report them.

 

That stunned John, but he choose to swallow his surprise right now, as there were more pressing matters at hand. Once this was over though, he´d hammer the DI with questions. Cause what the hell?

 

Since Millerson was slowly coming to as well he noticed the knife then and blanched at the sight. “No, let me go” he pleaded, going white in the face. “ No please. Really, I can get you money or whatever you want.”

 

Looking at at each of them separately he stopped at Lestrade. “How can you do this anyhow? You are a cop for god´s sake. You can not condone them murdering people.”

 

Lestrade just shrugged as he watched John kneeling down next to the pleading man. “Who says I can´t. All I want is to never see you or anything of yours again.”

 

“Oh Sherlock´s good with that.” Donovan quipped and forced Millerson up. He struggled and she had to fight a bit, but before John could help she overpowered him once more. It was actually quite funny to see her smirk when she won again, John thought.

 

While Lestrade turned around,looking like he didn´t want to see the actual deed and went over to the door instead, John looked at Sherlock and then at Sally, before turning to Millerson, who had his upper body hanging over the crate now. “Well guess what? I´m a doctor. We are supposed to help people, you know? But I´m still fine with them killing you.”

 

Millerson looked even whiter then before, which John hadn´t thought possible.” Why?” He croaked.

 

“That´s easy. You are not people. You are filth. And filth has to be cleaned you know?” With that John handed the knife to Sherlock, who then knelled down next to Millerson, before getting up and going over to Lestrade.

 

Before he even reached the door there was a strangled scream, sounds of clothes and hands rustling in a struggle, the crate scratching over the floor, followed by a strange, smothered cough and then nothing.

 

When John turned around he saw Sally heaving the legs into the tub with a tell tale bump noise.

 

Then Millerson was disposed off - left to bleed out in a large black plastic tub before he would vanish.

 

Sally grimaced at the blood on her hands and John nearly laughed as he saw Sherlock huff at her antics, but then handing her one of his bloody expensive handkerchiefs anyway. It was clear it would be lost with all the blood on it, but Sherlock didn´t seem to care. Grinning at that, John found himself back to more pressing matters at hand.

 

“Okay. What do we do now? I mean..” he tried, a little concerned of how to get out of there when there were still Millerson´s men out there, but Sherlock held up a hand.

 

“We wait for Anthea.”

 

Sally´s and John´s “What?” followed nearly simultaneously while Greg looked rather confused as well.

  
“Well Mycroft offered and after seeing the location and I thought I might as well take him up on it for once.” Sherlock shrugged, as if disposing off a body for your younger brother was the most normal thing in the world. Then again for the British government it probably was. “Even though I´ll probably never hear the end of it.”

 

Greg looked a bit shocked at this. “Mycroft does this? Why would he...?”

 

“Ah he didn´t tell you all about his job did he? Well inspector, if you ever think you know my brother, think again. No you don´t. And that´s a friendly warning. But why? Let´s just say Mycroft rather likes Sally and he doesn´t take it nicely when lives of people whom he likes are threatened. He even has a cover story in place already. “

 

Sally looked even more shocked at this, seemingly not sure what to say which made Sherlock smirk at Donovan. “Well Sally, I guess you need to re-evaluate us, don´t you?”

 

Before Sally could do anything more than nod, there was a tell tale beep of Sherlock´s mobile.

 

“ETA 5 minutes. Okay this will be over soon.” Sherlock announced but Lestrade wasn´t so sure about that.

  
“But what about Millerson´s men?” he enquired.

 

“Oh I told her about them and she will take care of that. There are positive sides to working with my brother indeed.” Sherlock mused and shook his head. “Now if he wasn’t such a pompous arse to begin with...”

 

John had been watching the whole exchange open mouthed. Okay, technically it all made sense now. But it would take him a while until he would be able to wrap his head around it, he guessed. That, and he had to admit that he was a little bit pissed at being left out. Again.

 

Hell did the whole world know about this?

 

Also, come to think of it there was another thing.

 

“How did you find us anyway?” he asked Lestrade and the man looked a bit embarrassed.

 

“I followed you. Originally I wanted to prevent you from wandering in on them, but I wasn´t quick enough.”

 

Ah ok. That must mean Greg knew everything. Every tiny detail probably.

 

“So you knew how they communicate on the crime scenes?” A nod from Lestrade and a deep sigh from John himself. “Okay. That means that I have been the only one who had no idea about this murderous alliance?” John grumbled and turned to look into the faces of the other two.

  
“I had no idea he knew.” Donovan said and once again looked a bit insecure when she glanced at Greg.

 

“Well I´m surprised to say neither did I.” Sherlock admitted and sounded sincere which surprised John even more. Sherlock really had had no idea. That was new. As he had three pairs of expecting eyes on him Greg seemed to understand what they wanted.

 

“Okay, okay I tell you as we have to wait anyway.”

 

 

 

_ A few years ago... _

 

_Greg Lestrade had seen lots of things in his life. Dead people. Body parts in microwaves and other strange places. People trying to pretend being Aliens, to escape a murder charge. Well, the list went on, but the thing he was seeing now, that was definitely one thing he thought he´d never see._

 

_Technically it wasn´t that strange to begin with, it was more about the people who were in the scene he was seeing._

 

_He had known that something had been off with his subordinate. Sally had been acting strange lately. And seeing her entering this abandoned yard in Greater London on accident had made him want to follow her to see what the hell she was doing there._

 

_Now he kind of wished he hadn´t._

 

_Mouth open and well hidden, he continued to stare as Sally was now sobbing. She was still kneeling in the ever growing pool of blood coming from that criminal Robert Sands. The blood was now close to reaching the knife that hadn´t fallen far from her._

 

_Sherlock, who was near her as well, was beginning to sit up, still holding his head, obviously in pain, while Sands was lying on the floor without showing any signs of life._

 

_Dead, Greg supposed._

 

_Sally seemed to think the same as she was murmuring “Oh my god, I killed him.” over and over again. She was shaking, probably going in to shock and Greg couldn´t help but feel the same._

 

_It had been shocking enough to see that bastard Sands again, bend over Sherlock nonetheless, obviously going in for the kill. Greg had wanted to scream and run to help Sherlock but then suddenly Sally had reappeared again and jumped onto Sands from behind. While Greg had expected her to subdue him and was already prepared to call in back up, he had been shocked as Sally had gotten out a knife and killed Sands with one swift cut to the throat._

 

_A few seconds later Robert Sands had bled out, but it had only taken about the same amount of time for Greg to see the bindings on Sand´s wrists. Looking at Sherlock, who was slowly coming to, he had quickly realised that it hadn´t been Sherlock who had been the planned victim here._

 

_That meant Sherlock was a killer. Greg simply couldn´t believe it!_

 

_And to make things even more strange it seemed that Sally Donovan was helping him, making her a killer or co-killer? That sounded even more unbelievable! But he didn´t need to be a genius to know that this hadn´t been the first kill. Though it seems that this time the planned kill had gone wrong and Sally had come to Sherlock´s rescue._

 

_She of all people with whom he was always fighting with on their crime scenes all the time. Why the hell was he working with her?_

 

_Unbelieving Greg shook he his head. No he had to focus on more important tasks at hand. Searching for his handcuffs he contemplated whom he should arrest first. Was Sally more likely to run or Sherlock?_

 

_But he had to confirm that Sands was dead first, hadn´t he? God, he was nearly thankful for that. That bastard had killed two of his colleagues and still remained free due to a formal mistake in his court case. If he could have, Greg would have killed him himself. But he couldn´t. He was a cop, damn it. And yet..._

 

_Suddenly there were doubts entering his mind. He remembered finding the mutilated body of Sergeant Martin. He had been tortured, probably for information about the Yard. Thinking of it, Sally had rather liked him as well. They had been friends, hadn´t they?_

 

_So what if this was revenge?_

 

_But that didn´t made this right, did it? But still, if he would have a gun in his hands and Sands would happen to be in front of it, what would he do? Wouldn´t he squeeze the trigger?_

 

_Taking a deep breath Greg decided he needed to walk away and think for a minute. Part of him didn´t want to prosecute Donovan as he rather liked working with her. He even had begun to imagine she could be one for his team if he made it to detective inspector soon._

 

_And Sherlock was annoying sure, but he also was a genius. He had done so much good already, helping to solve all these cases for the Yard._

 

_Stumbling away Lestrade left the murder scene. Before he had turned around he had witnessed that Sherlock was now shaking Sally rather roughly, probably to get some sense into her. Greg doubted that this was going to help with the shock, but that was Sherlock´s problem for the moment._

 

_Greg had to come to terms with his own shock first._

 

_Hell, no matter how he turned it around in his head he still couldn´t believe what he had seen. Sally, even though she sometimes seemed scruff, was a gentle soul. She wouldn´t hurt a fly if she could help it. And Sherlock? Sure the young man was fascinated by crime scenes, yes. But killing people like this? He couldn´t believe it. But he had seen what he had seen, hadn´t he?  
_

_So he should go back and do his duty as an officer and arrest these two. He had no choice on this. He was a cop for god´s sake!_

 

_Just as he wanted to turn around and do so, he was stopped by an obstacle that suddenly appeared behind him. He hadn´t even noticed the black car approach, probably due to being too busy reflecting what the hell had just happened. Still rattled he watched as the window went down,revealing a middle aged man._

 

“ _Mr. Greg Lestrade? I believe we have to talk.”_

 

_Greg was about to object, but then door was already open and two sets of hands grabbed him and took him in._

 

“But how did you fool Sherlock?” That was Sally, still sounding stunned by everything. “I mean, as much as it pains me to say, I get that you could fool me into thinking you had no idea what we were doing, but him?” She looked over to Sherlock.

 

“Oh, that was Mycroft. He told me how to act, what signs to give and such to make sure you believed nothing had changed, once he was sure I was okay with it. We both believed it would be better for you both to have someone in the police whom you didn´t know about.”

 

Sally huffed, incredulous. “Okay.”, while she shared a look with Sherlock that made John nearly laugh. Even though he just had been surprised once again, it was somehow great to see that the great consulting detective had been given the same treatment. This would help in Sherlock not getting too self assured and yes, it made him feel not that dumb.

 

Nevertheless all these revelations had made him doubt his intellect more than once now, even though Sally had reassured him that he was projecting.

 

“You have nothing to be ashamed off.” She told him, obviously seeing his distress. “You have no idea how careful we became once you were at the murder scenes. Just look at Anderson, I could have gone 'Hey Sherlock, let´s do some killing.' and he still would have had no idea.”

 

John had laughed at that.

#

 

 

When Anthea finally came, things went fast.

 

“Oh you made me a package! Prefect!” She quipped as she saw the dead Millerson in the tub, waiting to be carried out. She and one of Mycroft´s men, all dressed in black, complete with gloves and such, set to do the deed while John, Sherlock and the rest of them left.

 

It was later when they waited for Donovan and Sherlock to get the car they had hidden a few streets further, when Greg Lestrade approached John.

 

“Uhm well, you okay?” Greg asked cautiously and John fought the urge to not roll his eyes.

  
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

 

“Because you´ve recently joined a team of serial killers so to speak? They are just concern...” But Lestrade didn´t get any further as John was already about to start rambling.

 

“Bloody hell, I´ve been to Afghanistan. What do you think I was doing there? Having a picnic?”

 

Greg bit his lip, clearly uncomfortable. “No, but you are a doctor and all that.”

 

“Seriously, Greg. You know what being a doctor in the army means? Being a doctor means to rush into the battle field to help the wounded. To decided which ones to take back to camp since they actually have a chance, but also choosing the ones, who are hurt too severely to move them. “

 

More lip biting from Lestrade - John was close to diagnosing a nervous habit- and looking uncomfortable, as John went on.

 

“You know what you do then? You take a gun and release them from their pain. Because there´s no way that you leave one of your´s there to die or let them fall into enemy hands to be tortured or worse. Doctors save, yes, but you can save people in different ways, you know?”

 

Greg could only nod at that and only a moment later Donovan´s car stopped in front of them.

 

#

 

It was nearly morning when John, Sherlock and Donovan finally arrived at Baker Street. After talking to Lestrade for a while they had given him a lift home and John could see that all three of them were rather shaken by the revelations of the night.

 

But first and foremost they were tired. All three of them, even though Sherlock, of course, pretended that he wasn´t.

 

“There´s no way I´ll go to sleep when there are important things to do, John.” He had replied to John´s insistence to come to bed and John had first groaned at that before a rather persistent yawn came to the surface again.

 

Sally had rolled her eyes at Sherlock´s antics and went to her box. Only a moment later she rose pretty quickly and before John could see what was happening, Sherlock let out a yell. The consulting detective found himself cuffed to the bed with one hand. Rubbing his left shin, he glared daggers at Sally, and John couldn´t help but laugh while Sally just shrugged.

 

“What? That´s the patented Donovan method of getting Sherlock Holmes to sleep.”

 

“Kick his feet from under him and cuff him to bed?” John asked, still laughing and Sally nodded.

 

“Yep.” She grinned and started to take off Sherlock´s shoes. “If you got a better method, I´m all ears.”

 

John shock his head. “No, it’s quite all right.”

 

While Sherlock was literally pouting, Donovan made sure he took everything off but his shirt and boxers, before covering him with a blanket. She was just about to turn around but suddenly Sherlock´s free hand shot out and snatched her wrist. “Stay.” Sherlock ordered rather than said and pulled her onto the bed, while giving John a pointed look to come as well. John made himself ready for sleep as well, and choose to lie down behind the dark haired men. To John´s surprise Sally complied, too, and soon they were all asleep.

 

#

 

When John awoke, the first thing he noticed was that there was something on his belly. Slowly opening his eyes he saw there was one arm of Sally´s and one of Sherlock´s, rather possessively thrown over him. Carefully looking around he noticed that a) it was 9:16 and therefore Donovan was already over one hour late for the Yard and b) that Sally was sleeping with her head on Sherlock´s right shoulder, while the curly haired man was lying on his back his arm around her.

 

He must somehow have gotten out of the cuffs during the night and instead of wandering off, like John would have suspected, he had stayed. That and they all had drifted together.

 

Grinning at that, John decided that Yard could wait. There was no way in hell he´d wake these two now.

 

It would be far more interesting to wait until they woke up themselves that way.

 

After two more hours they did indeed wake up. The sleeping position led to Sherlock grumbling about “sentiment” and “ridiculous” nearly the whole day. After trying to embarrass Sally again and making a few snide comments at John, John decided to ignore him for a while.

 

“No sentiment” his ass. Sherlock was going to have to learn to deal with this.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that´s the last chapter. There´s only an epilogue to follow... unless you guys want more in this universe? Let me know!! 
> 
> Also thanks again to my ever faithful beta seven percent!!


	11. Chapter 11

**Epilogue**

 

“Sherlock?”  
  


…

 

“Sherlock?”

 

…

  
“Damn it Sherlock, now is the time, what are you waiting for?” Donovan was growling into her headset- a new gadget given to them by Mycroft- before there was silence again.

 

John hated not being able to see what was happening and the soon following “Oh fuck.” from Sally didn´t help one bit. Why had he agreed to be the driver again? He should have went in with them not waited outside, where he couldn´t do anything.

 

“Donovan, everything all right?” he asked into his own comm but got nothing.

 

“Sally?” He tried again and there was more silence before the connection cackled a bit and Sally´s voice came over the line. “Yeah, we´re fine. Just a small complication.”

 

Silence again, which led John to take a deep breath. He knew he shouldn´t use the comms too much. Sherlock and Donovan talking would only alert other people in the building.

 

So he told himself that everything was okay, even though Sally had sounded a bit strained.

 

It took a few moments until the comm flared to life with Sally´s voice again. “Oh fuck. That bastard, how can someone even...”

 

A hissed “Sally!” from Sherlock warned her to go silent again.

  
“Sherlock?” Came once again a few moments later, this time far more quiet. She sounded pleading even though she didn´t elaborate and John didn´t like it one bit. What the hell was going on in there? John thought, but still opted out to ask that much.

 

If they had been compromised they sure as hell didn´t have time to answer questions.

 

A grumbling, non distinctive murmur from Sherlock followed by more silence and then a huffed “Okay.”

 

A deep breath from Sally, and then the line was dead again.

 

John waited.

 

It seemed to take an eternity of its own until he heard Sherlock´s voice again.

 

“All clear.” his consulting detective told him and John dared to breath again. This was the sign for him to go to the meeting point and get them. 

 

Everything had gone well. 

 

Only a few moments later he was at said point and saw them coming towards the car. Glad that it would be over soon, he stopped in his tracks as he noticed that Sally was carrying something under that wide coat of hers. From the looks of it was quite big and now he saw legs coming out from under the coat, so what the hell?

 

There was no time for questions as the two, no three of them, rushed into the car and John hit the gas. 

 

It took a few minutes and a safe distance away from the corporation, whose boss they had just hit, that John dared to open his mouth.

 

“So what the hell is going on?” he barked. “What happened and who is this kid?” 

 

Nothing.

 

Sherlock pretended to look out of the window and Donovan sighed.

 

“Of course. Leave it to me then, so typical.” She grumbled, looked at the little girl, who was trembling slightly but still remarkably silent in her arms, and then over to John. “Sherlock seemed to hesitate at the hit for some reason and when I went to have a look I understood why. John, meet Carter´s daughter.”

 

What? John nodded at her but still understood nothing. Why had they kidnapped the daughter of the guy they had just killed? Hell, did they even know he had one when they went in?

 

Surely they didn´t do it right in front of her, right? But...

 

“No she didn´t see anything, John.” That was Sherlock, apparently still paying attention. 

 

“That´s good I guess. But why the hell did you take her? Won’t her mother miss her?” 

 

“No there won’t be anyone. Her mother died last year. She´s the result of an affair so we didn´t expect her to be there.” Donovan whispered. “ And it was said he had sent her away.” Stroking the child’s head she looked sad. “I know we should have left her there but I couldn´t. She´s been abused John. And I thought maybe Mycroft could find another home for her. I mean, we are doing this hit for him anyway so...”

 

Sherlock sighed theatrically and looked out of the window again, probably to make a point but John had already caught him stealing little glances at the girl. Apparently the consulting detective didn´t seem to be as uncaring as he always wanted everyone to believe. 

 

“It´s okay, Sally.” he told her and they drove on to one of Mycroft´s secret safe houses where they were supposed to meet the older Holmes. 

 

#

 

A few hours later they were still in the safe house, trying to recover their significantly altered outer appearances. John had been made into an older man with a beard while Sally and Sherlock had also gotten wigs and contacts after they had gained about 15 years each.

 

Little Emily had been examined by John, who had become angry seeing all the lacerations, the haematoma and even a cigarette burn littering the child´s body. He disliked James Carter enough already, hearing all of Mycroft´s tales of the head of an human trafficker ring, who liked to kill his opponents with glee, but this was topping everything. The guy had to be lucky he was dead already. How could someone do such things to a two year old? 

 

To his surprise Mycroft had immediately agreed to find her a nice home and she, together with Anthea, was already on her way somewhere where she would be cared for. 

 

For a few seconds he had thought Donovan would have liked to keep the little one to herself, but she had just shook her head. “No, it wouldn´t be fair. I mean, what an upgrade, from abusive, utterly killer asshole dad to serial killer mom. I just wanted her to have a better life.” 

 

John had nodded at that and once again thought of what Sherlock had told him only a few minutes ago. The younger Holmes had believed that the successor to the trafficking ring probably would have killed the girl anyway, once he knew Carter was dead. So yes, her life would definitely be better now.

 

But John had chided Sherlock. “And you would have left her there?” He had asked and Sherlock had shrugged. 

 

“I think so.” 

 

That led to John giving him a hard look. “Come on, you wanted Sally to take her once you saw her right? That´s why you waited.” 

 

“Don´t be ridiculous.” had been Sherlock´s answer, but John knew him better than that. 

 

Looking at Donovan though, she looked rather lost and John could understand why. They had saved the girl, yes. But they had also made her an orphan. Not to mention they had taken her out of her known environment and placed her somewhere else as if they had the right to do that. 

 

It didn´t really matter that it were going to be a better surroundings, did it? 

 

Could one thing really outweigh the other? He could see Sally was over-thinking these things again, as she stood by the window and looked into the garden, not noticing anything around her at the moment. 

 

His gut told him to watch her tonight and he would gladly do so, even if Sherlock would oppose it. 

 

Sentiment. 

 

Yes, he suffered from it, as Sherlock would say. But he was glad he did. 

 

His consulting detective though didn´t seem rattled by anything of the last few hours or did he? To his surprise said detective had walked up to Donovan, taken her coffee cup from her and set it onto the table. Then he had taken the bewildered Sally into his arms and looked around for John. 

 

John smiled at that and walked over to them. 

 

It seemed that things for Sherlock were changing as well. 

 

Sherlock was changing. 

 

“Okay that´s enough sentiment for this year.” Sherlock declared about 10 seconds later and left the embrace. Sally laughed at that and John suspected it may have been because Mycroft had come into the room, but choose to say nothing.

 

It would be okay. He might have a strange relationship with two people, who still weren´t ready to even call it as such and who occasionally killed a few deserving criminals with him, but hey? 

 

There were worse things to be in in this world, weren´t there?

 

He was enjoying himself quite a lot actually and wouldn´t have it any other way.

 

The END

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that´s it. My idea of how Sally and Sherlock could be Dexter-like serial killers. I first thought it would be a one shot. But then I realized that if Sherlock does kill multiple times with someone, even he would need to trust that person to some extend and so this back story was born. What do you guys think?
> 
> Also like I said, if you want more in this universe you need to let me know. Thanks for reading and a very special thanks to my beta seven percent.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey guys,  
There´s a sequel to this now http://archiveofourown.org/works/1125650 so maybe the ones following this should add the series to follow instead.  
Enjoy reading!


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